A couple of kilometers away beneath the Jhunsi bridge, several lakh people took their turn to bathe in the shallow, knee-deep waters of the holy Ganges, unaware of the event taking place at the Pilot Baba’s makeshift ashram. Like millions others, they were hardly left with any strength to linger to take the holiest of the Kumbh snans, on the most sacred Mauni Amavasya. Between them and the salvation-giving dip was a further distance of at least five kilometers to the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythological Saraswati, besides the freezing night to be spent in the open. They, thus, preferred to bathe in the Ganges only, which flowed along the path to the confluence. Criss-crossing the river were15 pontoon bridges bringing in unabated stream of salvation –seekers from the Allahabad side. The sprawling mela ground— 50 kilometers long and equally wide— was a sea of human-heads and a walk even to reach the seemingly nearest point was a futile effort as groups of rural pilgrims elbowed one out of any walkable direction.

    The VIP ghat and other banks on the Sangam Nose, the meeting -point of Ganga and Yamuna flowing down from Jhunsi and Naini, were equally agog with bathers of all ages and hues. They were politely asked away by the policemen and volunteers, the moment they took the first dip so that the others reaching continuously to the confluence could also have their turn to the sacred waters. The jostling was unavoidable and many elders and children lost track of their group on the banks. That is why the loudspeakers blaring names and places of the lost from atop the bamboo poles spread across the fair ground, never went silent. The police personnel deputed there were at their wits end to calm down the lost. Their throats having gone sore by continuous calling out the lost and found names. They have been doing this non-stop since 9 January, the first auspicious bath of Paush Poornima at this Kumbh, and will do so till 21 February when the fair culminates with the Maha Shivratri Snan.

    Months of sleepless efforts by the state administration have gone into erecting and managing this makeshift township. Yet, visiting media persons—from all over India and abroad— have several stories to report back on the shortcomings. For instance, the over-enthusiast volunteers and policemen unnecessarily harassed media teams in their coverage of the Naga monks, they complained. Wireless network active round the clock served immediate orders to the force, asking to cooperate in the matter. The tired look on the face of the commanding officer, however, sent out a clear signal that he too was on a thankless job.

    Back to the fair grounds, members of the foreign media rushed in to film the rare sight of a political-cum-religious leader in a princely attire atop an elephant, as elephants were banned from the security point of view in the next day’s Shahi Snan. The procession wound its way through the Shankaracharya Marg in Sector eight past the glittering camp of the Krishna followers famous for their global influence. A swami supervising free distribution of khichri—appropriately named ‘Shrikrishna Prasadam’—to all and sundry since morning hardly had any time to enjoy the scenic procession. So did his fellow swamis. Elderly swamis at the next camp, belonging to the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashram, Mutthigunj, too, were busy with treating the visiting pilgrims for petty ailments. Devotees of Ma Sharada and Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa were also thronging this camp for an exhibition on Vedic literature.Tenjin Lama and Lapsang Lama,visited the Mahakumbh as representatives of the Bharat- Tibbet Maitri Sangha.

    The fair was devoid of a night scene even at 11 PM. Downloaded at four city stations by a series of Mela Special trains coming from all sides to Allahabad, unending streams of faithfuls stoically trudge towards the fair ground through Lal Sarak and Kali Sarak. The flow disappeared in the swirling sea of pilgrims at the mela grounds, in its search for the confluence. Preaching sessions at the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti camp of Swami Jagannath Dham, Bhimgoda continued, listened attentively by common pilgrims and monks alike, camping almost under the clear, freezing winter sky. So did several Raaslila sessions being staged by various sects of monks (Akharas) at the entrance of their impressive and well- lit encampments. Tea hawkers and others like Baikuntha Bhakta, a sadhu-cum-vendor from Nimpith, Bengal, selling handloom- made Ramnami Chadars among pilgrims, was doing brisk business. This fair has never slept during its 50-day span, nights here are as good as the day, informs Baikuntha. The holy dip also continues at all sides across the confluence and on the fair ground –side- banks of the Ganges.

    A return to Media Camp on Lal Sarak to get a couple of hours sleep before coming out again to the Sangam Nose to witness the most sought-after processions of Naga Akharas during their Shahi Snan at the break of dawn went haywire. A media colleague from Kolkata was disturbed after discovering that his photos transmitted to his newspaper office via e-mail failed to reach. The sleep is no where around. Nobody can sleep at the ever-awake Mahakumbh.

    At three am before the dawn of the Mauni Amavasya, every way seemed to lead everybody to the Sangam Nose. Three pontoon bridges across Ganga and the wide road connecting them to the confluencial banks had long been vacated and cordoned off by the Police. Their mounted brethren guarded the whole area led by a DSP.. He intermittently shouted orders to his force and also cautioned them to keep their cool at every cost when the Juna Akhara monks approached the bathing area. He has a point –the Naga sadhus of this Akhara are known for their ire, if disturbed. Grouped together for strategic reasons, a contingent of no less than 200 media persons, almost half of them from abroad, was also approached by the DSP with a request: Please perch atop the bamboo tower if you want to have a visual coverage of the incoming Shahi Snan procession. The three-degree Celsius temperature and over looming smog added to the mesmerising scene as every one waited for the arrival of Akharas. A few furlongs away, a large contingent of Haryana Police was being deputed at the VIP ghat to ensure no pilgrim or anybody from media sneaked into the protected territory.

    At precisely 5.31 in the morning, the first and foremost Naga contingent of the Atal Dashnam Panchyati Akhara entered the VIP enclosure. As the senior officers of the administration welcomed the monks, leading the 500–strong procession, with garlands, the early morning chill was replaced by echo of HAR-HAR MAHADEV and TRIVENI MADHAV KI JAI, suddenly hotting up the atmosphere. Media persons jostled to have a better angle. Meanwhile, Akharas of the Juna, Awahan, Agni and other orders replaced one-another to take the holy dip. The Naga, Bairagi and Sadhu monks of these sects arrived at an interval of 40 minutes at the Sangam Nose as per a pre-negotiated seniority list finalised with the administration. The 40-minute gap was utilised for the confluencial bath by each group. Brass bands, jeeps and tractors turned into flower decorated chariots carrying Akharapatis and Mahamandaleshwars, led and followed by junior monks and privileged devotees on foot were some of the common scenes in each procession. But the cameramen at their job hardly seemed tired of the monotony. Some variety was added to their coverage from the individual show of wealth by each Akhara—thrones made of gold and silver adorned by senior monks, and age-old armour consisting of swords and tridents fitted with golden gear were at display.

    A few days back when the same Kumbh Special had carried-in its share of pilgrims to the holiest soil of Teerthraj Prayag every one was excited. As the same train whistled out of the Allahabad Junction, one felt a sudden gush of pain. The sadness, coming out of the compulsion of bidding the final good bye to the mammoth fair of faith, was perhaps dominating every heart, as the packed compartment was abnormally calm. Every single passenger was busy capturing a bird’s eye view of the halogen-lit mela ground from atop the vantage point of Naini Bridge as the train sped away into darkness.