1.Ahobilam
According to the legend, this is where Lord Narasimha blessed Prahlada and killed the demon Hiranyakashipu.
Geography
Ahobalam is located at 15.1333°N 78.7167°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 327 meters (1076 feet).Etymology
Aho is an exclamation word. Bhalam (bhalam means energy). It is equivalent of 'oh the mighty energy' and thus aho-bhalam of lord Narasimha swamy. One famous slokam that explains this is:Aho veeryam! aho shouryam! aho baahu parakrama!
Naarasimham param deivam aho bhilam! aho balam!
Oh! what a great valour he has! oh his great gallantry! oh those great powerful shoulders of the greatest of the Gods Lord Narasimha, and what a the mighty cave it is! and what a mighty divine strength He has!
Annamacharya also mentions in his slokas about Ahobalam.
garuDAdri vEdAdri rachachla velasinaTTi ramAvanita eepe machchikagala alamElumanga eepe ichchaTi venkaTAdri nee ahObalamunandu nichchalu tAvukonna nidhAnamu eepe ||
Meaning: She is goddess Ramaa who established herself amidst us. She is Alamelumanga dear to all. She is the eternal treasure established on Venkatadri and Ahobalam
The temple
Nallamala Forest range, and in terms of sculpture and architecture all these nine temples stands to be an ultimate testament for the ancient sthapathis in planning and sculpting these temples. A few temples can be reached through trekking. Some temples are inside the cave. Some temples are very difficult to trek to. The nine planets that define the human fates are believed to have worshipped these nine Lord Narasimhas to get relief from Rakshashas (demons) and curses of sages for their actions. This is main theme of the work of the great Telugu poet Errana, the “Nrisimha Puranam”. The hereditary powers of the temple rest with the Pontiff HH Azhagiyasingar of Ahobila Mutt. Currently the 45th Jeeyar of this lineage is the reigning Pontiff. Occasionally when HH Jeeyar performs Mangalasasanam (pays respects at the temple) at Ahobilam, the Serthi Utsavam is performed (the Moolavar of Malola Nrusimhar and the Utsavar) are united.The Nallamala hills are personified as Adisesha with his head at Tirumala, middle at Ahobilam and the tail at Srisailam.
Legend
According to legends it is believed that when the Devas saw the manifestation of Lord Vishnu as half-lion, half-man, they shouted "Ahobala" (great strength) as well as "Ahobila" (great cave in which the current sanctum is). Hence, this place could be called either "Ahobalam" or "Ahobilam". The mention of this place is present in Brahmanda Purana. The place where Lord Narayana appeared from the stone pillar to kill Hiranyakashipa can be seen in this place. The name of this pillar is Ugra Sthambha, which is now referred as “Ukku SThambha” in Telugu, which incorrectly translates to iron pillar.Diguva and Eguva (Lower and upper Ahobilas)
In the lower Ahobila Lakshmi Narasimha Swami is in a peaceful form. The temple has exquisite stone art. The history of Ahobila temple is sculptured in the stone form. Lord Srinivasa himself is said to installed the main deity here. He is said to have sought the blessings of Narasimha before his wedding but finding the Narasihma in fierce form in Upper Ahobila, he is said to have installed the peaceful form in the lower Ahobila. The temple complex also had temples for Adivan Sathagopulu. The sculptures of coronation of Lord Srirama (Sreerama Pattabhishekha), the ten incarnation of Lord Vishnu (Dasavatharas), statues of Poet Annamacharya are present on the walls of the temple. Annamacharya is said to have spent some time here composing songs praising the Lord Narasimha. The great sage Lord Pothuluri Veerabrahmendra Swamy is said to have meditated here to write Kalagnana (the knowledge of the future) which set forth a spiruitual movement. It is a common practice to worship the Prahlada Varada Narasimha (the Narasimha who gave boons to Prahlada) in lower Ahobilam before worshipping Eguva (Upper) Ahobila Narasimha, who is present eight kilometers away on a hilltop inside a cave. After worshipping the Lord, it is another practice to visit Navanarasimhas (nine Narasimhas). The legend says Lord Narasimha, after slaying Hiranyakasipa was roaming around the forest hills of Ahobilam making fearsome laughs and settling at nine places to bless the devotees. Here are the Nava Narasimha temples. Another legend describes when Lord Garuda did penance to see Lord Vishnu in Lord Narasimha form. Thereafter, Lord Narasimha took nine different forms in this hill.Nine(Nava) Narasimhas
Lord Narasimha in nine forms areBhargava Narasimha Swamy
This Lord is present on a hillock at a distance of 2.5 km from Lower Ahobilam, with Akshaya (inexhaustible) thertha (lake). Lord Parsurama is said to have performed penance for Lord Narasimha. An worship of the Lord after a bath in the Akshaya Theertha would make the Lord give Lakshmikara (hand possessing Goddess Lakshmi or prosperity) thus blessing in all manners.
Yogananda Narasimha Swamy
This place is suitable for meditation. Prahlada is said to have obtained all the prosperity after meditating upon the Lord here. The compassionate Lord here rescues the people who seek help out of difficulties.
Chatravata Narasimha Swamy
One of the astrological planets, Ketu is said to have worshipped the Lord here and gained all comforts. People willing to study fine arts seek blessings from this Lord.
Ahobila (Ugra) Narasimha Swamy
This is the main Lord of all Nava Narasimha's and is also referred as the main temple in Upper Ahobilam. Goddess Chenchu (local forest tribe who have been ardent worshippers of the Lord for ages) Lakshmi is with the Lord. Heart-felt prayer to the lord destroys all fear and timidness.
Varaha Narasimha Swamy
Located at a distance of 1 km from Upper Ahobilam,Present with the divine consort Lakshmi, Lord removes the obstacles and ensures success to the worshippers.This temple is also referred as Kroda Narasimha swamy. The statue is in side a small rock cut formation facing the perennial stream of water.
Malola Narasimha Swamy
This temple is present in Lakshmi Parvata (Hill). Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi along with the Lord, bestows blessing on the devotees. Worshipping this Lord brings Brahmananda (unlimited joy) to this world and the higher world.
Jwala Narasimha Swamy
Lord Narsimha appears fierce slaying Hiranyakasipa with his nails. Serving the Lord ensures success in all efforts, marriages are made. Lighting a ghee lamp in the month of the Karthika and meditating on Lord dispels all sins and brings fame and name. This temple is the toughest to reach compared to other Narasimha temples. A small red water pond named "Raktha Gunda Theertham" can be seen on the way to the temple which is said to be the place where Narasimha swamy washed his hands after slaying the Demon.
Paavana Narasimha Swamy
This is said to be the most peaceful form among the Nava Narasimha Kshetras. This is said to Kshetra Ratna (jewel among the Kshetras)and is also referred as Pamuleti Narasimha swamy. Sages have said that the Lord here liberates the devotees from all the sins in the past lives and sins in the current life (knowingly or unknowingly).
Karanja Narasimha Swamy
Serving the Karanja Swamy with three austerities (thought, word and action) brings enlightenment and the Lord bestows all desires.
Every year, in the month of Phalguna Brahmotsavas (ceremonies performed by the Lord Brahma) are held. Apart from this, every month, on the star day of the Lord, which is Swathi, Gramotsavas (village ceremonies) are celebrated. On that day, Thirumanjan Seva (service) is performed with 108 Kalasas(holy vessels) grandly, A lot of pilgrims visit the temple on the auspicious Swati nakshatra day.
Each of these nine forms have a beautiful story woven with strands of myth, fancy legends and epic tales. According to popular belief, one form of the Lord, the Pavana Narasimhaswamy, when offered the prasad returns half of the offering back to the devotee. On these lines, the Jwala Narasimhaswamy is supposed to be the ferocious form. This form personifies the cumulative and intense anger of the God. It is believed that the original site of shrine of Jwala Narasimhaswamy was the mouth of a volcano and it is only the proxy shrine which is accessible to the devotees.
Belief is that the navagrah's attained their power of being the planet by worshiping these deities of Narashimha. It is believed that the people having malefic effect of any planet could get some reprieve by worshiping Narasimha.
Legend also states that Goddess Mahalakshmi took birth as a human in a tribe, named Chenchu Lakshmi and married Lord Narasimha after the death of Hiranyakashpu. Narasimha Jayanthi will be celebrated with pomp and glory. The local tribals celebrate the marriage of Goddess Mahalakshmi as ChenchuLakshmi and Lord Narasimha.
Sri Ahobilam Mahatyam
The Lord Narasimha is a Vara prasaddhi (One who bestows blessings readily). Hiranyakasyapa (son of Sage Kashyapa) asked for specific boons to ensure his immortality and attained demonic powers due to these boons. Lord Vishnu took form as Lord Narasimha (a complex form of half-man and half-lion) to be able to destroy the demon. Ahobilam is the exact location of the demon Hiranyakashupu's palace, which the epic stories of Lord Narasimha speak of. This place still has remnants, relics and ruins of the demon's palace. The pillar from which the God arose is marked by its base stone and can be accessed after an almost vertical climb up the hill. It is believed that the entire mountain split up into two, due to the impact of pillar getting shattered by God and God rising from it subsequently. The pillar's base stone is thus, on the edge of the cliff. In between the 2 hills is a deep gorge like a cleft. Lower Ahobilam temple deity is said be installed by Tirumala lord Venkateswara himself before his wedding, since the lord of upper Ahobilam has a Ugra (angry) form. There are several Narsimha temples in the surrounding hills like Pamuleti Narasimhaswamy, which are popular among local populations. Lord Narasimha appears in different forms as Ugra Murthi(aggressive form), Shanta Murthy (tranquil form), Yoga Murthy (in penance) and Kalyana Murthy with his consort Sri Chenchu Lakshmi.Legend of Chenchu Lakshmi
After slaying Hiranyakashyapa, Lord Narasimha proceeded to the Nallamala forest in his UgraAvataram (aggressive form). The devas were worried about this form and prayed to Goddess Lakshmi to pacify him. She took form as Chenchu Lakshmi, a tribal girl, in the same forest. On seeing her, Lord Narasimha asked her to marry him. She put him through a lot of tests to calm him down completely before agreeing to marry him.
Temple Name: Ahobilam
God Name: Narasimha or Prahladha Varadha[2]
Goddess Name: Amritavalli (Lakshmi devi)[3]
Pushkarni: Indra Pushkarni Vimanam: Vimanam Guha Vimanam Location: Allagadda
State and Country: Andhrapradesh, India
Temple Name: Ahobilam
God Name: Narasimha or Prahladha Varadha[2]
Goddess Name: Amritavalli (Lakshmi devi)[3]
Pushkarni: Indra Pushkarni Vimanam: Vimanam Guha Vimanam Location: Allagadda
State and Country: Andhrapradesh, India
Demographics
Since Ahobilam is in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Telugu is widely spoken and Tamil understood in the town of Ahobilam.People
Up to 1953, people of the Chenchu tribe lived as many families collecting honey and bamboos. As of today, there are only two to five families living there. The remaining families have relocated to different places in Kurnool district; the places being:- Atmakur (Atmakur Taluk)
- Bannur (Nandikotkur Taluk)
- Bailuti (Atmakur Taluk)
- Banakacharla (Atmakur Taluk)
- Mahanandi (Nandyal)
- Nandikotkur
- Pachharla (Nandyal)
- Pagidala (Nandikotkur Taluk)
Transport
It is conveniently accessible by bus from Nandyal, Kurnool and Hyderabad. Ahobilam is not connected by rail; the closest railway stations are Nandyal (on the Bangalore-Vizag(Vishakapatnam) route) and Cuddapah (on the Mumbai-Chennai route). There are three routes reaching Ahobilam. Pilgrims from the north can get down at Nandyal, which is a Railway junction from Kurnool, and travel by bus to Allagadda and Ahobilam, which is only thirty miles from Nandyal. The second route is from Dhone which is another railway station and from which one can reach Ahobilam via Banganapalle and Koilkuntla.The other and easy route is to get down at Cuddapah which is a district headquarters and an important railway station in the Madras - Bombay route. From Cuddapah one has to travel to Allagadda, which is forty miles over and from there by bus to Ahobilam
2. Allahabad
The city's original name—Prayaga, or "place of sacrifice"—comes from its position at the sacred union of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. It is the second-oldest city in India and plays a central role in the Hindu scriptures. The city contains many temples and palaces. Allahabad is located on in the southern part of Uttar Pradesh. It is bounded by Pratapgarh in the north, Bhadohi in the east, Rewa in the south and Kaushambi in the west. Its area is 63.07 km2 (24.35 sq mi). Allahabad contains many suburbs. While the city and surroundings are governed by several municipalities, a large portion of Allahabad District is governed by the Allahabad City Council. The demonym of Allahabad is Allahabadi.
Allahabad was originally founded as Kaushambi (Now a separate district) by the Kuru rulers of Hastinapur, who developed it as their capital. Since then, Allahabad has often being the political/ cultural/ administrative head of the entire Doab area and beyond. First as Kaushambi, then as Prathisthanpur. Later, the Mughal emperor Akbar renamed Prayag as Allahabad in 1526 and made it a prominent administrative centre again. As a large and growing city, Allahabad is home to many well-recognized colleges and research institutions in India. Many government offices of both central and state government lie within the city. Allahabad has hosted many large cultural and sporting events, including Kumbh Mela. Although Allahabad's economy was built on tourism, its main revenue now comes from real estate and financial services.
Etymology of Allahabad
The name is derived from the one given to the city by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1583.[5] The name in Indian languages generally is Ilāhābād (Hindi: इलाहाबाद); ilah (Hindi: इलाह) being Arabic for "Lord" or "God", and -ābād (Hindi: आबाद) is Persian for "to construct or to create", which explains the meaning of the name Illahabad as "God's creation" or "City of God." [5]History
Main article: History of Allahabad
The city was known earlier as Prayāga - a name
that is still commonly used.[6]
Its age is illustrated by Vedic references to Prayag, where Brahma, the Creator
of the Universe, is believed to have attended a sacrificial ritual.[7]
Excavations have revealed Northern Black Polished Ware objects in
Prayag, further corroborating the conjecture that Prayag existed as a town as
early as 600 B.C.[7]
The Puranas record that Yayati
left Prayag and conquered the region of Saptha Sindhu.[8]
His five sons Yadu, Druhyu, Puru, Anu and Turvashu
became the main tribes of the Rigveda.[9]
Lord Rama,
the main protagonist in the Ramayana, spent time at the Ashram of Sage Bharadwaj before
proceeding to nearby Chitrakoot.When the Aryans first settled in what they termed the Āryāvarta (or Madhyadesha), Prayag (or Kaushambi) was an important part of their territory.[11] The Kuru Kingdom, rulers of Hastinapur (near present day Delhi), established the town of Kaushambi near Prayag.[12] They shifted their capital to Kaushambi when Hastinapur was destroyed by floods.[11]
The Doaba region, including Allahabad, was controlled by several empires and dynasties in the ages to come.[13] The area became a part of the Mauryan and Gupta empires of the east and the Kushan empire of the west before becoming part of the local Kannauj empire in 15th century.[11] The city was the scene of Maratha incursions before colonial rule was imposed over India.[13] In 1765, the British established a garrison at Allahabad fort. It is also known as the "Prime minister Capital of the India," the importance of the government to the city has led seven out of fourteen Prime Ministers of India.[1] Prayag became a part of the Delhi sultanate when the town was annexed by Mohammad Ghori in A.D. 1193.[14] Later, the Mughals took over from the slave rulers of Delhi and under them Prayag rose to prominence.[15] Akbar built a magnificent fort (viz. Allahabad fort), on the banks of the holy sangam and rechristened the town as Illahabad in 1575.[15]
In 1765, the combined forces of the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II lost the Battle of Buxar to the British.[16] Although the British did not yet establish direct rule, they realized the strategic position of Allahabad as the gateway to the northwest and established a garrison at the fort.[17] In 1801, the Nawab of Awadh ceded the city to the British East India Company.[18] Gradually the other parts of Doaba and adjoining region in its west (including Delhi and Ajmer-Mewara regions) were won by the British.[16] The north western areas were made into a new Presidency called the "North Western Provinces of Agra", with their capital at Agra.[16] Allahabad remained an important part of this state.[19] In 1834, Allahabad became the seat of the Government of the Agra Province, and a High Court was established—but a year laterz both were relocated to Agra.[16] In 1857, Allahabad was active in the Indian Mutiny.[20] After the mutiny, the British truncated the Delhi region of the state, merging it with Punjab, and transferred the capital of North west Provinces to Allahabad, where it remained for 20 years.[21] Later, In 1877 the two provinces of Agra (NWPA) and Awadh were merged to form a new state which was called the United Provinces.[19] Allahabad served as the capital of United Provinces until 1920
During the 1857 mutiny, Allahabad had a significant presence of European troops.[22] Maulvi Liaquat Ali freedom fighter of 1857, unfurled the banner of revolt.[23] After the Mutiny was quelled, the British established the High Court, the Police Headquarters and the Public Service Commission in the city.[24] This transformed Allahabad into an administrative center.[25] The fourth session of the Indian National Congress was held in the city in 1888.[26] By the turn of the century, Allahabad was a nodal point for the revolutionaries.[27] The Karmyogi office of Sundar Lal in Chowk sparked patriotism among youth. Nityanand Chatterji became a household name when he hurled the first bomb at the European club.[28] It was at Alfred Park in Allahabad where, in 1931, the revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad killed himself when surrounded by the British Police.[29] The Nehru family homes Anand Bhavan and Swaraj Bhavan were at the center of the political activities of the Indian National Congress.[30] In the years of the freedom struggle, Allahabad was home to thousands of satyagrahis, led, inter alii, by Purushottam Das Tandon, Bishambhar Nath Pande and Narayan Dutt Tiwari.[31] The first seeds of the idea of Pakistan were sown in Allahabad.[32] On 29 December 1930, Allama Muhammad Iqbal's presidential address to the All-India Muslim League proposed a separate Muslim state for the Muslim majority regions of India.[33]
During the 1857 mutiny, Allahabad had a significant presence of European troops.[22] Maulvi Liaquat Ali freedom fighter of 1857, unfurled the banner of revolt.[23] After the Mutiny was quelled, the British established the High Court, the Police Headquarters and the Public Service Commission in the city.[24] This transformed Allahabad into an administrative center.[25] The fourth session of the Indian National Congress was held in the city in 1888.[26] By the turn of the century, Allahabad was a nodal point for the revolutionaries.[27] The Karmyogi office of Sundar Lal in Chowk sparked patriotism among youth. Nityanand Chatterji became a household name when he hurled the first bomb at the European club.[28] It was at Alfred Park in Allahabad where, in 1931, the revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad killed himself when surrounded by the British Police.[29] The Nehru family homes Anand Bhavan and Swaraj Bhavan were at the center of the political activities of the Indian National Congress.[30] In the years of the freedom struggle, Allahabad was home to thousands of satyagrahis, led, inter alii, by Purushottam Das Tandon, Bishambhar Nath Pande and Narayan Dutt Tiwari.[31] The first seeds of the idea of Pakistan were sown in Allahabad.[32] On 29 December 1930, Allama Muhammad Iqbal's presidential address to the All-India Muslim League proposed a separate Muslim state for the Muslim majority regions of India.[33]
Geography
Allahabad is located in the southern part of
the state, at 25.45°N 81.84°E, and stands at the confluence of
the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.[34][35]
The region was known in antiquity as the Vats (initially Kuru) country.[36]
To its south west is the Bundelkhand region, to its east and south east is the Baghelkhand region,
to its north and north east is the Awadh
region and to its west is the (lower) doab of which it itself is a
part.[34]
The city is divided by the railway line running through it.[37]
South of the railway line is the Old Chowk area, while the British-built Civil lines is situated in north. Allahabad
stands at a strategic point both geographically and culturally.[38]
A part of the Ganga-Yamuna Doab, it is the last point of the Yamuna river, and
culturally, the last point of the Indian west.[39]
As with the rest of Doab, the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in
origin.[40]
The Indian GMT longitude that is associated with Jabalpur
also passes through Allahabad. According to a United Nations Development Programme
report, its wind and cyclone zone is "Low damage risk".
Culture
Allahabad is known for its literary, artistic and revolted heritage; as the former capital of United Provinces it was the birthplace of holy scriptures- the Vedas and the grand epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and in the Puranas-as Prayag.[72] Allahabad has been called the "literary capital of Uttar Pradesh". Allahabad's antiquity attracted curious itinerants from even the ear east.[73] Huen Tsang and Fa Hien, the Chinese travelers, who visited it in the fifth and the seventh centuries respectively, found it a flourishing city.[74][73] Over the centuries that followed, Allahabad remained on the forefront of national importance-more so during the days of the Indian independence struggle.[31] The city has a tradition of political graffiti depicting everything from outrageous slander to witty banter and limericks, caricatures, and propaganda.[27] Allahabad has many buildings adorned with Indo-Islamic and Indo-Saracenic architectural motifs. Several well-maintained major buildings from the colonial period have been declared "heritage structures"; however, others are in various stages of decay.[75] Established in the 1930s to serve as the residence of the Nehru family, the Swaraj Bhavan was transformed into the local headquarters of the Indian National Congress, that showcase memorabilia of the Gandhi-Nehru family.[76]During the 19th and 20th centuries, Hindi literature was modernised through the works of authors such as Mahadevi Varma, Sumitranandan Pant, Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala', Harivansh Rai Bachchan.[77] Another noteworthy poet was Raghupati Sahay who was more famous by the name of Firaq Gorakhpuri.[78] Firaq Gorakhpuri and Mahadevi Varma were awarded the Jnanpith Award.[79][80][81] Allahabad has also been the biggest centres of publication of Hindi literature for instance Lok Bharti, Rajkamal and Neelabh. Persian and Urdu literature also has a significant respect in city.[82] Akbar Allahabadi is well known Poet of the modern Urdu Literature. Apart from him poets like Nooh Narwi, Tegh Allahabadi, Raaz Allahabadi, Asghar Gondvi, Ibn e Safi,Adil Rasheed, Azam Kuraivi, Dr.Aijaz Husain, Dr.Aqeel Rizwi, Hakeem Asrar Kuraivi also hail from the city.[83] English author and Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling (1907) played significant role for The Pioneer as an assistant editor and overseas correspondent.[84]
Though Hindu women traditionally wear the sari, the shalwar kameez and Western attire is gaining acceptance among younger women.[85] Western-style dress has greater acceptance among men, although the traditional dhoti and kurta are seen during festivals. Diwali (celebrated between mid-October and mid-December) and Rama Navami are the two most popular festivals in Uttar Pradesh. Sherwani is a more formal male dress and is frequently worn along with chooridar on festive occasions.[85]
Kumbh Mela
Main article: Kumbh Mela
Allahabad host largest auspicious religious
gathering in the world known as Maha Kumbh Mela which is celebrated once in
twelve year and Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years.Kumbh Mela
Kumbh Mela (/ˌkʊm ˈmeɪlə/ or /ˌkʊm məˈlɑː/; Devanagari: कुम्भ मेला) is a mass Hindu pilgrimage in which Hindus gather at the Ganges and river Godavari, where bathing for purification from sin is considered especially efficacious.The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and Allahabad, the Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years,[1] at four places Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. The Maha (great) Kumbh Mela which comes after 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas', or 144 years, is held at Allahabad.[1][2]
According to the Mela Administration's estimates, around 70 million people participated in the 45-day Ardh Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, in 2007.[3]
The previous Maha Kumbh Mela, held in 2010 in haridwar, was, before it occurred, estimated by the authorities to attract between 30 and 70 million people.[4][5][6][7] Next Kumbh Mela will start on 27-January-2013 at Allahabad. For Kumbh Mela 2013 shahi snan (bathing) dates
Timing
Kumbh Mela is celebrated at different locations depending on the position of the planet of Bṛhaspati (Jupiter) and the sun. When Jupiter and the sun are in the zodiac sign Leo (Simha Rashi) it is held in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik; when the sun is in Aries (Mesha Rashi) it is celebrated at Haridwar; when Jupiter is in Taurus (Vrishabha Rashi ) and the sun is in Capricorn (Makar Rashi) Kumbha Mela is celebrated at Prayag; and Jupiter and the sun are in Scorpio (Vrishchik Rashi) the Mela is celebrated at Ujjain.[8][9] Each site's celebration dates are calculated in advance according to a special combination of zodiacal positions of Sun, Moon, and Jupiter.[10]History
The first written evidence of the Kumbha Mela can be found in the accounts of Chinese traveler, Huan Tsang or Xuanzang (602 - 664 A.D.) who visited India in 629 -645 CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana.[11][12] However, similar observances date back many centuries, where the river festivals first started getting organised. According to medieval Hindu theology, its origin is found in one of the most popular medieval puranas, the Bhagavata Purana. The Samudra manthan episode (Churning of the ocean of milk), is mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana.[13]The account goes that the demigods had lost their strength by the curse of Durväsä Muni, and to regain it, they approach Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva than they directed all demigods to Supreme Personalty of Godhead Lord Visnu[14] full story on kumbh mela and after praying to Lord Visnu, He instructed them for churning ocean of milk Ksheera Sagara (primordial ocean of milk) for amrita (the nectar of immortality). This required them to make a temporary agreement with their arch enemies, the demons or Asuras, to work together with a promise of sharing the wealth equally thereafter.[15] However, when the Kumbha (urn) containing the amrita appeared, a fight ensued. For twelve days and twelve nights (equivalent to twelve human years) the gods and demons fought in the sky for the pot of amrita. It is believed that during the battle, Lord Vishnu(Incarnates as Mohini-Mürti) flew away with the Kumbha of elixir spilling drops of amrita at four places: Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik.[16]
Attendance
According to The Imperial Gazetteer of India, an outbreak of cholera occurred at the 1892 Mela at Haridwar leading to the rapid improvement of arrangements by the authorities and to the formation of Haridwar Improvement Society. In 1903 about 400,000 people are recorded as attending the fair.[9] During the 1954 Kumbh Mela stampede at Prayag, around 500 people were killed, and scores were injured. Ten million people gathered at Haridwar for the Kumbh on April 14, 1998.[11]The 1998 Kumbh Mela saw over 10 million pilgrims visiting Hardwar, to take a dip in the holy Ganges river.[17] In 2001, around 1 million people from outside of India and from around the world participated in the Maha Kumbh Mela at Allahabad, with a total participation of approximately 60 million. This mela was unusually significant due to the planetary positions at the time, a pattern that repeats only once every 144 years.[18]
The ritual
The major event of the festival is ritual bathing at the banks of the river in whichever town it is being held. Nasik has registered maximum visitor to 75 million. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardized. Kumbh Mela is the most sacred of all the pilgrimages.[citation needed] Thousands of holy men and women attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this. The sadhus are seen clad in saffron sheets with ashes and powder dabbed on their skin as per the requirements of ancient traditions. Some, called naga sanyasis, may not wear any clothes even in severe winter.[citation needed]After visiting the Kumbh Mela of 1895, Mark Twain wrote:
It is wonderful, the power of a faith like that, that can make multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys and endure the resultant miseries without repining. It is done in love, or it is done in fear; I do not know which it is. No matter what the impulse is, the act born of it is beyond imagination, marvelous to our kind of people, the cold whites.
Recent Kumbha Melas
1894
According to Paramahansa Yogananda in his work the Autobiography of a Yogi, it was on the Kumbha Mela in January 1894 at Allahabad that his Guru Sri Yukteswar met Mahavatar Babaji for the first time.2001
n 2001, the Kumbh Mela was held in Prayag, aka Allahabad. The India government estimates that about 70 million people came to this festival in north India to bathe in the holy river Ganges where it meets with the also holy Yamuna river. Bathing in the holy waters at this auspicious time is said to wash away your karmic debt. Therefore, it is literally a shortcut to spiritual liberation (moksha), the liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
2003
When the Kumbha Mela was held in Nashik, India, from July 27 to September 7, 2003, 39 pilgrims (28 women and 11 men) were trampled to death and 57 were injured. Devotees had gathered on the banks of the Godavari river for the maha snaan or holy bath. Over 30,000 pilgrims were being held back by barricades in a narrow street leading to the Ramkund, a holy spot, so the sadhus could take the first ceremonial bath. Reportedly, a sadhu threw some silver coins into the crowd and the subsequent scramble led to the stampede.[21][22]2007
More than 30 million people visited Ardh Kumbh Mela at Prayag.2010
Haridwar hosted the Purna Kumbha mela from Makar Sankranti (14 January 2010) to Shakh Purnima Snan (28 April 2010). Millions of Hindu pilgrims attended the mela. On April 14, 2010, alone approximately 10 million people bathed in the Ganges river.[23] According to officials by mid April about 40 million people had bathed since January 14, 2010.[24] Hundreds of foreigners joined Indian pilgrims in the festival which is thought to be the largest religious gathering in the world.[24][25] To accommodate the large number of pilgrims Indian Railways ran special trains.[26] At least 5 people died in a stampede after clashes between holy men and devotees.[27]Indian Space Research Organisation took satellite pictures of the crowds with the hope of improving the conduct of the festival in the future.[28]
Future Venues
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Allahabad
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Nashik
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Ujjain
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Haridwar
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1983
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Ardh Kumbh
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1986
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Kumbh
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1989
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1991
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Kumbh
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1992
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Kumbh
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1995
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Ardh Kumbh
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1998
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Kumbh
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2001
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Maha Kumbh
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2003
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Kumbh
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2004
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Kumbh
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Ardh Kumbh
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2007
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Ardh Kumbh
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2010
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Kumbh
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2013
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Kumbh
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2015
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Kumbh
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2016
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Kumbh
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Ardh Kumbh
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2019
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Ardh Kumbh
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2022
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Kumbh
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- Upcoming Kumbh Mela festivals will be held in Allahabad in 2013 (January 27th to February 25th), Nasik in 2015 (August 15th to September 13th), and Ujjain in 2016 (April 22nd to May 21st).
- The Purna Kumbha Mela will again be held at Prayag in the year 2013 (January 27 to February 25)
14th January 2013(Sunday) – Makar Sankranti.
27 January 2013(Sunday) – Paush Purnima
6 February 2013 (Wednesday) – Ekadashi Snan
10 February 2013 (Sunday) – Mauni Amavasya Snan (Main Bathing Day)
15 February 2013 (Friday) – Basant Panchami Snan
17 February 2013 (Sunday) – Rath Saptami Snan
21 February 2013(Thursday) – Bhisma Ekadashi Snan
25 February 2013(Monday) – Maghi Purnima Snan
- Nasik will host the Kumbha Mela in 2015 (Also Known as Simhasth at Nashik as Guru is in Sigh Rashi) (August 15 to September 13)
- Ujjain Purna Kumbh Mela 2016 (April 22 to May 21)
Kumbha Mela in Media
Amrita Kumbher Sandhane, a 1982 Bengali feature film directed by Dilip Roy, documents the Kumbh Mela. Kumbha Mela has been theme for many a documentaries, including "Kumbh Mela: The Greatest Show on Earth" (2001) directed by Graham Day,[30] On 24 Sept, The Hindu reported the great faith in god displayed in kumbh mela at Nasik which had more than 70 million visitors in 2003 kumbh mela. (2004), by Maurizio Benazzo and Nick Day,[31][32] Kumbh Mela: Songs of the River (2004), by Nadeem Uddin,[33] and Invocation, Kumbha Mela (2008) [34]On April 18, 2010, a popular American morning show The CBS Sunday Morning gave an extensive coverage on Haridwar's Kumbh Mela "The Largest Pilgrimage on Earth". Calling it "one of the most extraordinary displays of faith on Earth, a spectacular journey drawing tens of millions of people".
Short Cut to Nirvana: Kumbh Mela is a 2004 documentary film was set in the 2001 Maha Kumbh Mela at Allahabad. This film is directed by Nick Day and produced by "Maurizio Benazzo"[35]
On April 28, 2010, BBC reported an audio and a video report on Kumbh Mela, titled "Kumbh Mela 'greatest show on earth'.
On September 30, 2010, the Kumbh Mela featured in the second episode of the Sky One TV series "An Idiot Abroad" with Karl Pilkington visiting the festival.
Transportation
Allahabad is served by the Allahabad Airport (IATA: IXD, ICAO: VIAL) which began operations in February 1966. The airport is about 12 km from the city centre.[97] The most hassle-free way to commute is by taxi. Meru cabs and Easy cabs have taxis present in the rank at the airport. There are also certain private cab companies. Other airports nearby are located in Varanasi, Lucknow and Kanpur.[98]Allahabad Junction is one of the main railway junctions of the northern India. It is the headquarters of the North Central Railway Zone.[99] The four prominent railway stations of Allahabad are Prayag Station, City Station at Rambagh, Daraganj Station and Allahabad Station.[100] It is efficiently connected to most cities in Uttar Praesh as well as all major cities of India such as Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Jaipur.[101]
Three-wheeled yellow and black auto-rickshaws, referred to as autos, are a popular form of transport.[102] They are metered and can accommodate up to three passengers. Taxis, commonly called City Taxis, are usually available only on call. Taxis are metered and are generally more expensive than auto-rickshaws. Tempos are the cheapest mode of travelling in Allahabad.[102]
Buses operated by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) are an important means of public transport available in the city, and are highly reliable.[103] Besides these, National Highway 2 runs through the middle of the city.[104] India’s primus suspension bridge The New Yamuna Bridge, erected in the years 2001–2004, is located in Allahabad and connects the city of Allahabad to its suburb Naini next to the banks of the Yamuna River.[105] The Old Naini steel-truss-bridge now accommodates railway and car traffic.[106][107] A number of road bridges on the Ganges and Yamuna rivers have been built to connect Allahabad with its suburbs, including Naini and Jhusi.
Media
Among Allahabad's widely circulated Hindi-language newspapers are Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Dainik Bhaskar, Nai Dunia, Hindustan Dainik, Aj, and Rajasthan Patrika.[126] The Leader and The Pioneer are two major English-language newspapers that are produced and published from Allahabad.[127][128] Other popular English-language newspapers published and sold in Allahabad include The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, The Indian Express, and the Asian Age.[126] Prominent financial dailies like The Economic Times, Financial Express, Business Line, Rashtriya Sahara and Business Standard are widely circulated.[129] Vernacular newspapers, such as those in the Urdu, Gujarati and Punjabi lanuages, are read by minorities. All India Radio, the national state-owned radio broadcaster, airs several AM radio stations in the city. Allahabad has 5 local radio stations broadcasting on FM, including two from AIR.[130] Other regional channels are accessible via cable subscription, direct-broadcast satellite services, or internet-based television.Ganges
The Ganges (
/ˈɡændʒiːz/ GAN-jeez)
or Ganga (IPA: [ˈɡəŋɡaː] (
listen)), is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh.
The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas
in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain
of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal.
It is the longest river of India and is the second greatest river in the world
by water discharge.[4] The Ganges basin
is the most heavily populated river basin in the world, with over 400 million
people and a population density of about 1,000 inhabitants per square mile
(390 /km2).[5]The Ganges is the most sacred river to Hindus and is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs.[6] It is worshiped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.[7] It has also been important historically: many former provincial or imperial capitals (such as Patliputra,[8] Kannauj,[8] Kara, Kashi, Allahabad, Murshidabad, Munger, Baharampur and Kolkata) have been located on its banks.
The Ganges was ranked among the five most polluted rivers of the world in 2007,[9] with fecal coliform levels in the river near Varanasi more than one hundred times the official Indian government limits.[10] Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.[9] The Ganga Action Plan, an environmental initiative to clean up the river, has been a major failure thus far,[11][12][13] due to corruption and lack of technical expertise,[14] lack of good environmental planning,[15] Indian traditions and beliefs,[16] and lack of support from religious authorities
Course
The Ganges begins at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers. The Bhagirathi is considered to be the true source in Hindu culture and mythology, although the Alaknanda is longer.[18][19] The headwaters of the Alakananda are formed by snowmelt from such peaks as Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Kamet. The Bhagirathi rises at the foot of Gangotri Glacier, at Gaumukh, at an elevation of 3,892 m (12,769 ft).[20]Although many small streams comprise the headwaters of the Ganges, the six longest and their five confluences are considered sacred. The six headstreams are the Alaknanda, Dhauliganga, Nandakini, Pindar, Mandakini, and Bhagirathi rivers. The five confluences, known as the Panch Prayag, are all along the Alaknanda. They are, in downstream order, Vishnuprayag, where the Dhauliganga joins the Alaknanda; Nandprayag, where the Nandakini joins; Karnaprayag, where the Pindar joins, Rudraprayag, where the Mandakini joins; and finally, Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi joins the Alaknanda to form the Ganges River proper.[18]
After flowing 250 kilometres (160 mi)[20] through its narrow Himalayan valley, the Ganges emerges from the mountains at Rishikesh, then debouches onto the Gangetic Plain at the pilgrimage town of Haridwar.[18] At Haridwar, a dam diverts some of its waters into the Ganges Canal, which irrigates the Doab region of Uttar Pradesh, whereas the river, whose course has been roughly southwest until this point, now begins to flow southeast through the plains of northern India.
The Ganges follows an 800-kilometre (500 mi) arching course passing through the cities of Kannauj, Farukhabad, and Kanpur. Along the way it is joined by the Ramganga, which contributes an average annual flow of about 500 m3/s (18,000 cu ft/s).[21] The Ganges joins the Yamuna at the Triveni Sangam at Allahabad, a holy confluence in Hinduism. At their confluence the Yamuna is larger than the Ganges, contributing about 2,950 m3/s (104,000 cu ft/s),[21] or about 58.5% of the combined flow.[22]
Now flowing east, the river meets the Tamsa River (also called Tons), which flows north from the Kaimur Range and contributes an average flow of about 190 m3/s (6,700 cu ft/s). After the Tamsa the Gomti River joins, flowing south from the Himalayas. The Gomti contributes an average annual flow of about 234 m3/s (8,300 cu ft/s). Then the Ghaghara River, also flowing south from the Himalayas, joins. The Ghaghara, with its average annual flow of about 2,990 m3/s (106,000 cu ft/s), is the largest tributary of the Ganges. After the Ghaghara confluence the Ganges is joined from the south by the Son River, contributing about 1,000 m3/s (35,000 cu ft/s). The Gandaki River, then the Kosi River, join from the north, contributing about 1,654 m3/s (58,400 cu ft/s) and 2,166 m3/s (76,500 cu ft/s), respectively. The Kosi is the third largest tributary of the Ganges, after the Ghaghara and Yamuna.[21]
Along the way between Allahabad and Malda, West Bengal, the Ganges passes the towns of Chunar, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Patna, Bhagalpur, Ballia, Buxar, Simaria, Sultanganj, and Saidpur. At Bhagalpur, the river begins to flow south-southeast and at Pakur, it begins its attrition with the branching away of its first distributary, the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly, which goes on to become the Hooghly River. Just before the border with Bangladesh the Farakka Barrage controls the flow of the Ganges, diverting some of the water into a feeder canal linked to the Hooghly for the purpose of keeping it relatively silt-free. The Hooghly River is formed by the confluence of the Bhagirathi River and Jalangi Riverat Nabadwip, and Hooghly has a number of tributaries of its own. The largest is the Damodar River, which is 541 km (336 mi) long, with a drainage basin of 25,820 km2 (9,970 sq mi).[23] The Hooghly River empties into the Bay of Bengal near Sagar Island.[24]
After entering Bangladesh, the main branch of the Ganges is known as the Padma. The Padma is joined by the Jamuna River, the largest distributary of the Brahmaputra. Further downstream, the Padma joins the Meghna River, the second largest distributary of the Brahmaputra, and takes on the Meghna's name as it enters the Meghna Estuary, which empties into the Bay of Bengal.
The Ganges Delta, formed mainly by the large, sediment-laden flows of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, is the world's largest delta, at about 59,000 km2 (23,000 sq mi).[3] It stretches 322 km (200 mi) along the Bay of Bengal.[5]
Only the Amazon and Congo rivers have a greater average discharge than the combined flow of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Surma-Meghna river system.[5] In full flood only the Amazon is larger.[25]
Geology
The Indian subcontinent lies atop the Indian tectonic plate, a minor plate within the Indo-Australian Plate.[26] Its defining geological processes commenced seventy-five million years ago, when, as a part of the southern supercontinent Gondwana, it began a northeastwards drift—lasting fifty million years—across the then unformed Indian Ocean.[26] The subcontinent's subsequent collision with the Eurasian Plate and subduction under it, gave rise to the Himalayas, the planet's highest mountains.[26] In the former seabed immediately south of the emerging Himalayas, plate movement created a vast trough, which, having gradually been filled with sediment borne by the Indus and its tributaries and the Ganges and its tributaries,[27] now forms the Indo-Gangetic Plain.[28]The Indo-Gengetic Plain is geologically known as a foredeep or foreland basin.[29]
Hydrology
The hydrology of the Ganges River is very complicated, especially in the Ganges Delta region. One result is different ways to determine the river's length, its discharge, and the size of its drainage basin.The name Ganges is used for the river between the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers, in the Himalayas, and the India-Bangladesh border, near the Farakka Barrage and the first bifurcation of the river. The length of the Ganges is frequently said to be slightly over 2,500 km (1,600 mi) long, about 2,505 km (1,557 mi),[30] to 2,525 km (1,569 mi),[1][22] or perhaps 2,550 km (1,580 mi).[31] In these cases the river's source is usually assumed to be the source of the Bhagirathi River, Gangotri Glacier at Gomukh, and its mouth being the mouth of the Meghna River on the Bay of Bengal.[1][22][30][31] Sometimes the source of the Ganges is considered to be at Haridwar, where its Himalayan headwater streams debouch onto the Gangetic Plain.[23]
In some cases, the length of the Ganges is given for its Hooghly River distributary, which is longer than its main outlet via the Meghna River, resulting in a total length of about 2,620 km (1,630 mi), from the source of the Bhagirathi,[3] or 2,135 km (1,327 mi), from Haridwar to the Hooghly's mouth.[23] In other cases the length is said to be about 2,240 km (1,390 mi), from the source of the Bhagirathi to the Bangladesh border, where its name changes to Padma.[32]
For similar reasons, sources differ over the size of the river's drainage basin. The basin covers parts of four countries, India, Nepal, China, and Bangladesh; eleven Indian states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Delhi.[33] The Ganges basin, including the delta but not the Brahmaputra or Meghna basins, is about 1,080,000 km2 (420,000 sq mi), of which 861,000 km2 (332,000 sq mi) are in India (about 80%), 140,000 km2 (54,000 sq mi) in Nepal (13%), 46,000 km2 (18,000 sq mi) in Bangladesh (4%), and 33,000 km2 (13,000 sq mi) in China (3%).[2] Sometimes the Ganges and Brahmaputra–Meghna drainage basins are combined for a total of about 1,600,000 km2 (620,000 sq mi),[25] or 1,621,000 km2 (626,000 sq mi).[5] The combined Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin (abbreviated GBM or GMB) drainage basin is spread across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and China.[34]
The Ganges basin ranges from the Himalaya and the Transhimalaya in the north, to the northern slopes of the Vindhya range in the south, from the eastern slopes of the Aravalli in the west to the Chota Nagpur plateau and the Sunderbans delta in the east. A significant portion of the discharge from the Ganges comes from the Himalayan mountain system. Within the Himalaya, the Ganges basin spreads almost 1,200 km from the Yamuna-Satluj divide along the Simla ridge forming the boundary with the Indus basin in the west to the Singalila Ridge along the Nepal-Sikkim border forming the boundary with the Brahmaputra basin in the east. This section of the Himalaya contains 9 of the 14 highest peaks in the world over 8,000m in height, including Mount Everest which is the high point of the Ganges basin. The other peaks over 8,000m in the basin are Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Annapurna and Shishapangma. The Himalayan portion of the basin includes the south-eastern portion of the state of Himachal Pradesh, the entire state of Uttarakhand, the entire country of Nepal and the extreme north-western portion of the state of West Bengal.[citation needed]
The discharge of the Ganges also differs by source. Frequently, discharge is described for the mouth of the Meghna River, thus combining the Ganges with the Brahmaputra and Meghna. This results in a total average annual discharge of about 38,000 m3/s (1,300,000 cu ft/s),[5] or 42,470 m3/s (1,500,000 cu ft/s).[3] In other cases the average annual discharges of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna are given separately, at about 16,650 m3/s (588,000 cu ft/s) for the Ganges, about 19,820 m3/s (700,000 cu ft/s) for the Brahmaputra, and about 5,100 m3/s (180,000 cu ft/s) for the Meghna.
The maximum peak discharge of the Ganges, as recorded at Hardinge Bridge in Bangladesh, exceeded 70,000 m3/s (2,500,000 cu ft/s).[35] The minimum recorded at the same place was about 180 m3/s (6,400 cu ft/s), in 1997.[36]
The hydrologic cycle in the Ganges basin is governed by the Southwest Monsoon. About 84% of the total rainfall occurs in the monsoon from June to September. Consequently, streamflow in the Ganges is highly seasonal. The average dry season to monsoon discharge ratio is about 1:6, as measured at Hardinge Bridge. This strong seasonal variation underlies many problems of land and water resource development in the region.[32] The seasonality of flow is so acute it can cause both drought and floods. Bangladesh, in particular, frequently experiences drought during the dry season and regularly suffers extreme floods during the monsoon.[37]
In the Ganges Delta many large rivers come together, both merging and bifurcating in a complicated network of channels. The two largest rivers, the Ganges and Brahmaputra, both split into distributary channels, the largest of which merge with other large rivers before themselves joining. This current channel pattern was not always the case. Over time the rivers in Ganges Delta have changed course, sometimes altering the network of channels in significant ways.
Before the late 12th century the Bhagirathi-Hooghly distributary was the main channel of the Ganges and the Padma was only a minor spill-channel. The main flow of the river reached the sea not via the modern Hooghly River but rather by the Adi Ganga. Between the 12th and 16th centuries the Bhagirathi-Hooghly and Padma channels were more or less equally significant. After the 16th century the Padma grew to become the main channel of the Ganges.[24] It is thought that the Bhagirathi-Hooghly became increasingly choked with silt, causing the main flow of the Ganges to shift to the southeast and the Padma River. By the end of the 18th century the Padma had become the main distributary of the Ganges.[38] One result of this shift to the Padma was that the Ganges joined the Meghna and Brahmaputra rivers before emptying into the Bay of Bengal, together instead of separately. The present confluence of the Ganges and Meghna formed about 150 years ago.[39]
Also near the end of the 18th century, the course of the lower Brahmaputra changed dramatically, altering its relationship with the Ganges. In 1787 there was a great flood on the Teesta River, which at the time was a tributary of the Ganges-Padma River. The flood of 1787 caused the Teesta to undergo a sudden change course (an avulsion), shifting east to join the Brahmaputra and causing the Brahmaputra to shift its course south, cutting a new channel. This new main channel of the Brahmaputra is called the Jamuna River. It flows south to join the Ganges-Padma. Since ancient times the main flow of the Brahmaputra was more easterly, passing by the city of Mymensingh and joining the Meghna River. Today this channel is a small distributary but retains the name Brahmaputra, sometimes Old Brahmaputra.[40] The site of the old Brahmaputra-Meghna confluence, in the locality of Langalbandh, is still considered sacred by Hindus. Near the confluence is a major early historic site called Wari-Bateshwar.
Religious and cultural significance
Embodiment of sacredness
The Ganges is a sacred river along every fragment of her length. All along her course, Hindus bathe in her waters.[47] All along her course, they pay homage to their ancestors and to their gods by cupping her water in their hands, lifting it and letting it fall back into her; they offer flowers and rose petals and float shallow clay dishes filled with oil and lit with wicks (diyas).[47] On the journey back home from the Ganges, they carry small quantities of her water with them for use in rituals (Ganga jal, literally water of the Ganga).[48] When a loved one dies, they return to the Ganges to consign the ashes to her custody.[48]The Ganges is the embodiment of all sacred waters in Hindu mythology.[49] Local rivers are said to be like the Ganges, and are sometimes called the local Ganges (Ganga).[49] The Kaveri river of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in Southern India is called the Ganges of the South; the Godavari, is the Ganges that was led by the sage Gautama to flow through Central India.[49] The Ganges is invoked whenever water is used in Hindu ritual, and is therefore present in all sacred waters.[49] In spite of this, nothing is more stirring for a Hindu than a dip in the actual river, especially at one of the famous tirthas such as Gangotri, Haridwar, Prayag, or Varanasi.[49] The symbolic and religious importance of the Ganges is one of the few things that Hindu India, even its skeptics, are agreed upon.[50] Jawaharlal Nehru, a religious iconoclast himself, asked for a handful of his ashes to be thrown into the Ganges.[50] "The Ganga," he wrote in his will, "is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her racial memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever-changing, ever-flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga."[50]
Avatarana or Descent of the Ganges
n late May or early June every year, Hindus celebrate the avatarana or descent of the Ganges from heaven to earth.[51] The day of the celebration, Ganga Dashahara, the dashami (tenth day) of the waxing moon of the Hindu calendar month Jyestha, brings throngs of bathers to the banks of the river.[51] A soak in the Ganges on this day is said to rid the bather of ten sins (dasha = Sanskrit "ten"; hara = to destroy) or alternatively, ten lifetimes of sins.[51] Those who cannot journey to the river, however, can achieve the same results by bathing in any nearby body of water, which, for the true believer, in the Hindu tradition, takes on all the attributes of the Ganges.[51]The avatarana is an old theme in Hinduism with a number of different versions of the story.[51] In the Vedic version, Indra, the Lord of Svarga (Heaven) slays the celestial serpent, Vritra, releasing the celestial liquid, the soma, or the nectar of the gods which then plunges to the earth and waters it with sustenance.[51]
In the Vaishnava version of the myth, Indra has been replaced by his former helper Vishnu.[51] The heavenly waters are now a river called Vishnupadi (padi: Skt. "from the foot of").[51] As he completes his celebrated three strides—of earth, sky, and heaven—Vishnu as Vamana stubs his toe on the vault of heaven, punches open a hole, and releases the Vishnupadi, which until now had been circling around the cosmic egg within.[52] Flowing out of the vault, she plummets down to Indra's heaven, where she is received by Dhruva, the once steadfast worshipper of Vishnu, now fixed in the sky as the polestar.[52] Next, she streams across the sky forming the Milky Way and arrives on the moon.[52] She then flows down earthwards to Brahma's realm, a divine lotus atop Mount Meru, whose petals form the earthly continents.[52] There, the divine waters break up, with one stream, the Alaknanda, flowing down one petal into Bharatvarsha (India) as the Ganges.[52]
It is Shiva, however, among the major deities of the Hindu pantheon, who appears in the most widely known version of the avatarana story.[53] Told and retold in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas, the story begins with a sage, Kapila, whose intense meditation has been disturbed by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Livid at being disturbed, Kapila sears them with his angry gaze, reduces them to ashes, and dispatches them to the netherworld. Only the waters of the Ganga, then in heaven, can bring the dead sons their salvation. A descendant of these sons, King Bhagiratha, anxious to restore his ancestors, undertakes rigorous penance and is eventually granted the prize of Ganga's descent from heaven. However, since her turbulent force will also shatter the earth, Bhagiratha persuades Shiva in his abode on Mount Kailash to receive Ganga in the coils of his tangled hair and break her fall. Ganga descends, is tamed in Shiva's locks, and arrives in the Himalayas. She is then led by the waiting Bhagiratha down into the plains at Haridwar, across the plains first to the confluence with the Yamuna at Prayag and then to Varanasi, and eventually to Ganga Sagar, where she meets the ocean, sinks to the netherworld, and saves the sons of Sagara.[53] In honour of Bhagirath's pivotal role in the avatarana, the source stream of the Ganges in the Himalayas is named Bhagirathi, (Sanskrit, "of Bhagiratha").[53]
Redemption of the Dead
Since Ganga had descended from heaven to earth, she is also the vehicle of ascent, from earth to heaven.[54] As the Triloka-patha-gamini, (Skt. triloka= "three worlds", patha = "road", gamini = "one who travels") of the Hindu tradition, she flows in heaven, earth, and the netherworld, and, consequently, is a "tirtha," or crossing point of all beings, the living as well as the dead.[54] It is for this reason that the story of the avatarana is told at Shraddha ceremonies for the deceased in Hinduism, and Ganges water is used in Vedic rituals after death.[54] Among all hymns devoted to the Ganges, there are none more popular than the ones expressing the worshipers wish to breathe his last surrounded by her waters.[54] The Gangashtakam expresses this longing fervently:[54]O Mother! ... Necklace adorning the worlds!
Banner rising to heaven!
I ask that I may leave of this body on your banks,
Drinking your water, rolling in your waves,
Remembering your name, bestowing my gaze upon you.[55]
No place along her banks is more longed for at the moment of death by Hindus than Varanasi, the Great Cremation Ground, or Mahashmshana.[54] Those who are lucky enough to die in Varanasi, are cremated on the banks of the Ganges, and are granted instant salvation.[56] If the death has occurred elsewhere, salvation can be achieved by immersing the ashes in the Ganges.[56] If the ashes have been immersed in another body of water, a relative can still gain salvation for the deceased by journeying to the Ganges, if possible during the lunar "fortnight of the ancestors" in the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin (September or October), and performing the Shraddha rites.[56]
Hindus also perform pinda pradana, a rite for the dead, in which balls of rice and sesame seed are offered to the Ganges while the names of the deceased relatives are recited.[57] Every sesame seed in every ball thus offered, according to one story, assures a thousand years of heavenly salvation for the each relative.[57] Indeed, the Ganges is so important in the rituals after death that the Mahabharata, in one of its popular ślokas, says, "If only (one) bone of a (deceased) person should touch the water of the Ganges, that person shall dwell honoured in heaven."[58] As if to illustrate this truism, the Kashi Khanda (Varanasi Chapter) of the Skanda Purana recounts the remarkable story of Vahika, a profligate and unrepentant sinner, who is killed by a tiger in the forest. His soul arrives before Yama, the Lord of Death, to be judged for the hereafter. Having no compensating virtue, Vahika's soul is at once dispatched to hell. While this is happening, his body on earth, however, is being picked at by vultures, one of whom flies away with a foot bone. Another bird comes after the vulture, and in fighting him off, the vulture accidentally drops the bone into the Ganges below. Blessed by this happenstance, Vahika, on his way to hell, is rescued by a celestial chariot which takes him instead to heaven.
The purifying Ganges
Hindus consider the waters of the Ganges to be both pure and purifying.[60] Nothing reclaims order from disorder more than the waters of the Ganges.[61] Moving water, as in a river, is considered purifying in Hindu culture because it is thought to both absorb impurities and take them away.[61] The swiftly moving Ganges, especially in its upper reaches, where a bather has to grasp an anchored chain in order to not be carried away, is considered especially purifying.[61] What the Ganges removes, however, is not necessarily physical dirt, but symbolic dirt; it wipes away the sins of the bather, not just of the present, but of a lifetime.[61]A popular paean to the Ganges is the Ganga Lahiri composed by a seventeenth century poet Jagannatha who, legend has it, was turned out of his Hindu Brahmin caste for carrying on an affair with a Muslim woman. Having attempted futilely to be rehabilitated within the Hindu fold, the poet finally appeals to Ganga, the hope of the hopeless, and the comforter of last resort. Along with his beloved, Jagannatha sits at the top of the flight of steps leading to the water at the famous Panchganga Ghat in Varanasi. As he recites each verse of the poem, the water of the Ganges rises up one step, until in the end it envelops the lovers and carry them away.[61] "I come to you as a child to his mother," begins the Ganga Lahiri.[62]
I come as an orphan to you, moist with love.
I come without refuge to you, giver of sacred rest.
I come a fallen man to you, uplifter of all.
I come undone by disease to you, the perfect physician.
I come, my heart dry with thirst, to you, ocean of sweet wine.
Do with me whatever you will.[62]
Consort, Shakti, and Mother
Ganga is a consort to all three major male deities of Hinduism.[63] As Brahma's partner she always travels with him in the form of water in his kamandalu (water-pot).[63] She is also Vishnu's consort.[63] Not only does she emanate from his foot as Vishnupadi in the avatarana story, but is also, with Sarasvati and Lakshmi, one of his co-wives.[63] In one popular story, envious of being outdone by each other, the co-wives begin to quarrel. While Lakshmi attempts to mediate the quarrel, Ganga and Sarasvati, heap misfortune on each other. They curse each other to become rivers, and to carry within them, by washing, the sins of their human worshippers. Soon their husband, Vishnu, arrives and decides to calm the situation by separating the goddesses. He orders Sarasvati to become the wife of Brahma, Ganga to become the wife of Shiva, and Lakshmi, as the blameless conciliator, to remain as his own wife. Ganga and Sarasvati, however, are so distraught at this dispensation, and wail so loudly, that Vishnu is forced to take back his words. Consequently, in their lives as rivers they are still thought to be with him.[t is Shiva's relationship with Ganga, that is the best-known in Ganges mythology.[65] Her descent, the avatarana is not a one time event, but a continuously occurring one in which she is forever falling from heaven into his locks and being forever tamed.[65] Shiva, is depicted in Hindu iconography as Gangadhara, the "Bearer of the Ganga," with Ganga, shown as spout of water, rising from his hair.[65] The Shiva-Ganga relationship is both perpetual and intimate.[65] Shiva is sometimes called Uma-Ganga-Patiswara ("Husband and Lord of Uma (Parvati) and Ganga"), and Ganga often arouses the jealousy of Shiva's better-known consort.[65]
Ganga is the shakti or the moving, restless, rolling energy in the form of which the otherwise recluse and unapproachable Shiva appears on earth.[63] As water, this moving energy can be felt, tasted, and absorbed.[63] The war-god Skanda addresses the sage Agastya in the Kashi Khand of the Skanda Purana in these words:[63]
One should not be amazed ... that this Ganges is really Power, for is she not the Supreme Shakti of the Eternal Shiva, taken in the form of water?
This Ganges, filled with the sweet wine of compassion, was sent out for the salvation of the world by Shiva, the Lord of the Lords.
Good people should not think this Triple-Pathed River to be like the thousand other earthly rivers, filled with water.[63]
The Ganges is also the mother, the Ganga Mata (mata="mother") of Hindu worship and culture, accepting all and forgiving all.[62] Unlike other goddesses, she has no destructive or fearsome aspect, destructive though she might be as a river in nature.[62] She is also a mother to other gods.[66] She accepts Shiva's incandescent seed from the fire-god Agni, which is too hot for this world, and cools it in her waters.[66] This union produces Skanda, or Kartikeya, the god of war.[66] In the Mahabharata, she is the wife of Shantanu, and the mother of heroic warrior-patriarch, Bhishma.[66] When Bhishma is mortally wounded in battle, Ganga comes out of the water in human form and weeps uncontrollably over his body.[66] Hence Ganga is not different from Parvati.
The Ganges is the distilled lifeblood of the Hindu tradition, of its divinities, holy books, and enlightenment.[63] As such, her worship does not require the usual rites of invocation (avahana) at the beginning and dismissal (visarjana) at the end, required in the worship of other gods.[63] Her divinity is immediate and everlasting.[63]
Ganges in classical Indian iconography
Early in ancient Indian culture, the river Ganges was associated with fecundity, its redeeming waters and its rich silt providing sustenance to all who lived along its banks.[67] A counterpoise to the dazzling heat of the Indian summer, the Ganges came to be imbued with magical qualities and to be revered in anthropomorphic form.[68] By the 5th century CE, an elaborate mythology surrounded the Ganges, now a goddess in her own right, and a symbol for all rivers of India.[69] Hindu temples all over India had statues and reliefs of the goddess carved at their entrances, symbolically washing the sins of arriving worshippers and guarding the gods within.[70] As protector of the sanctum sanctorum, the goddess soon came to depicted with several characteristic accessories: the makara (a crocodile-like undersea monster, often shown with an elephant-like trunk), the kumbha (an overfull vase), various overhead parasol-like coverings, and a gradually increasing retinue of humans.[71]Central to the goddess's visual identification is the makara, which is also her vahana, or mount. An ancient symbol in India, it pre-dates all appearances of the goddess Ganga in art.[71] The makara has a dual symbolism. On the one hand, it represents the life-affirming waters and plants of its environment; on the other, it represents fear, both fear of the unknown it elicits by lurking in those waters and real fear it instils by appearing in sight.[71] The earliest extant unambiguous pairing of the makara with Ganga is at Udayagiri Caves in Central India (circa 400 CE). Here, in Cave V, flanking the main figure of Vishnu shown in his boar incarnation, two river goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna appear atop their respective mounts, makara and kurma (a turtle or tortoise).[71]
The makara is often accompanied by a gana, a small boy or child, near its mouth, as, for example, shown in the Gupta period relief from Besnagar, Central India, in the left-most frame above.[72] The gana represents both posterity and development (udbhava).[72] The pairing of the fearsome, life-destroying makara with the youthful, life-affirming gana speaks to two aspects of the Ganges herself. Although she has provided sustenance to millions, she has also brought hardship, injury, and death by causing major floods along her banks.[73] The goddess Ganga is also accompanied by a dwarf attendant, who carries a cosmetic bag, and on whom she sometimes leans, as if for support.[70] (See, for example, frames 1, 2, and 4 above.)
The purna kumbha or full pot of water is the second most discernible element of the Ganga iconography.[74] Appearing first also in the relief in Udayagiri Caves (5th century), it gradually appeared more frequently as the theme of the goddess matured.[74] By the seventh century it had become an established feature, as seen, for example, the Dashavatara temple, Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh (seventh century), the Trimurti temple, Badoli, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, and at the Lakshmaneshwar temple, Kharod, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh,[74] (ninth or tenth century), and seen very clearly in frame 3 above and less clearly in the remaining frames. Worshipped even today, the full pot is emblematic of the formless Brahman, as well as of woman, of the womb, and of birth.[75] Furthermore, The river goddesses Ganga and Saraswati were both born from Brahma's pot, containing the celestial waters.[75]
In her earliest depictions at temple entrances, the goddess Ganga appeared standing beneath the overhanging branch of a tree, as seen as well in the Udayagiri caves.[76] However, soon the tree cover had evolved into a chatra or parasol held by an attendant, for example, in the seventh-century Dasavatara temple at Deogarh.[76] (The parasol can be clearly seen in frame 3 above; its stem can be seen in frame 4, but the rest has broken off.) The cover undergoes another transformation in the temple at Kharod, Bilaspur (ninth or tenth century), where the parasol is lotus-shaped,[76] and yet another at the Trimurti temple at Badoli where the parasol has been replaced entirely by a lotus.[76]
As the iconography evolved, sculptors in the central India especially were producing animated scenes of the goddess, replete with an entourage and suggestive of a queen en route to a river to bathe.[77] A relief similar to the depiction in frame 4 above, is described in Pal 1997, p. 43 as follows:
A typical relief of about the ninth century that once stood at the entrance of a temple, the river goddess Ganga is shown as a voluptuously endowed lady with a retinue. Following the iconographic prescription, she stands gracefully on her composite makara mount and holds a water pot. The dwarf attendant carries her cosmetic bag, and a ... female holds the stem of a giant lotus leaf that serves as her mistress's parasol. The fourth figure is a male guardian. Often in such reliefs the makara's tail is extended with great flourish into a scrolling design symbolizing both vegetation and water.[70]
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble gratefulness to the wikisources
and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection
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