SIMHASTHA KUMBH MELA
- THE FAIR OF FAITH
True to its spirit,
the fair of faith , the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Trimbakeshwar
at Nashik in Maharashtra has not lost the festive fervour and
the belief in Almighty despite terrorists threat and a tragic
stempede that killed 39 pilgrims on August 28, 2003. Amidst the
chanting of mantras, the year-long Simhasta Kumbh Mela marked
its beginning on July 30, 2003.
A spectacular
event, this religious festival which attracts a massive turnout
of saints and devotees from far and wide, occurs once every 12
years. Kumbha Mela is held at the four major pilgrim centres of
Allahabad, Hardwar, Nashik and Ujjain depending on the positions
of the planets. When Jupiter and Sun are in the zodiac
sign Leo(Simha Rashi) it is celebrated in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik
as the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. When Sun is in zodiac
sign Aries (Mesha Rashi) it is celebrated at Hardwar. When
Jupiter is in the zodiac sign Taurus (Vrishabha Rashi) and Sun
in zodiac sign Capricorn (Makar Rashi) the Kumbha Mela is celebrated
at Prayag, Allahabad. Likewise, when Jupiter and Sun
are in the zodiac sign Scorpio (Vrishchik Rashi), Kunbha is held
at Ujjain.
In Shiva
Purana there is a story explaining the importance of Simhastha
Kumbha Mela. The story goes that the sage, Gautama, got salvation
for his sin of cow-killing from Lord Shiva after a long
penance. The river Ganga descended on earth. After some time it
wanted to go back to its place of origin. But the sages and deities
beseached Ganga to remain on earth . Ganga agreed to stay on the
condition that Lord Shiva and all the saints and deities
will also have to stay with it. The deities and sages promised
Ganga that during the period when Jupiter and Sun will be
in the zodiac sign Leo (Simha Rashi), they will all stay on earth.
Mythological
Significance
Legend also has
it that a sage called Durwasa got enraged when the king of gods,
Indra, rejected his gift and let his elephant, Airawat, trample
it. Durwasa cursed Indra with the result that all the deities
lost their powers and had to face defeat at the hands of the demons.
They went to Lord Vishnu to seek his benediction to get
back their powers. Lord Vishnu asked them to persuade the demons
to perform Samudra Manthan i.e., churn the sea to bring
out amrit (nectar), the elixir of life, that alone
could bring back their powers. Hence the Samudra Manthan
was carried out. One of the many precious things that
came out from the depths of the churned waters was a pot of nectar,
Amrit Kumbh which went in the possession of the demons. Lord
Vishnu, disguising himself as an enchantress ( Mohini),
seized the nectar from the demons. While fleeing from the evil
ones, Lord Vishnu passed the nectar on to his winged mount,
Garuda. The demons finally caught up with Garuda and in the ensuing
struggle, a few drops of the precious nectar fell on Prayag (Allahabad),
Nashik, Hardwar and Ujjain where the Kumbha Melas are held. As
the nectar had to be saved from the demons, the deities had to
hide it at different places – Swarglok (heaven), Mrityulok (earth)
and Patallok (the netherworld). The deities were on
Mrityulok (earth) for twelve days which were equal to 12 years
. Thus the deities were on earth for 12 years with the nectar.
Since then the Kumbh Mela is supposed to have been held in all
these four places every 12 years.
According to
another story, once all the Teerthas (pilgrimages in the
guise of saints) went to Lord Shiva. At his behest they went
to Mrityulok (earth) to save the sinners. The Teerthas absolved
the sinners on earth but were themselves saturated with
others’ sins . They requested Lord Shiva to redeem them
from those sins. Lord Shiva asked them to go and live in solitude
for one year on the banks of the Godavari river. Lord Shiva
promised the Teerthas that He Himself, (with all other deities)
would stay with them . After taking bath in the sacred waters
of the Godavari, they would be free from the sins. That
is why this Kumbh is held for a year and a dip in the Godavari
river during the Kumbha Mela has great importance. In later years
, it is believed that acknowledging the importance of the Kumbha
Mela, Lord Rama lived for one year in Trimbakeshwar.
Legends apart,
millions of people are attending this ongoing mammoth fair at
Nashik. Thousands of saints from different sects and countless
pilgrims have been taking a holy dip at the sacred Ramkund and
Kushavart teerth that houses one of the 12 jyotirlingas, i.e.
the symbol of Lord Shiva.. The peak festival days have been
August 14 and 25 and September 8 and 20. The Nashik Kumbh Mela
is slated to end on August 27, 2004.Until then the pious will
keep visiting Nashik and Trimbakeshwar to experience the spiritual
ecstasy . (PIB Features)
