Kumbha Mela 2013

Govindaji Gardens
Mar 5 2013 - Event

From February 8th till February 12th, Srila Narasingha Maharaja attended the Maha Kumbha-Mela at Allahabad in North India accompanied by Sripada Visnu Maharaja, Sripada Giri Maharaja, Kunja-vihari Dasa, Rupanuga Dasa and Gaura-Gopala Dasa.

Srila Guru Maharaja, Visnu Maharaja and Kunja-vihari arrived in Varanasi on the 7th evening while an advance party of devotees (consisting of Giri Maharaja, Rupanuga and Gaura-Gopala) arrived by train early at Allahabad on the 8th.

Guru Maharaja was enthusiastic to be at the Mela and spoke of his experiences of the 1977 Kumbha-Mela with Srila Prabhupada and the 1989 Kumbha-Mela.

While at the Mela, Guru Maharaja took the opportunity to preach to many of the foreign guests at the camp as well as some of the local Hindu pilgrims. Quite a few Bhagavad-gitas were distributed as well as Devavision Kumbha-Mela DVDs.

The 10th of February was one of the main bathing days known as Mauni Amavasya, when about 40 million people took a holy bath in the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati. Srila Guru Maharaja took a party of devotees and friends to the sangam (confluence) where he took bath and explained to them the significance and origins of the Kumbha-Mela.

On 12th February, Srila Narasingha Maharaja left the Kumbha-Mela to Varanasi and then returned to Govindaji Gardens.

The following is a selection of photos from the Mela taken by Visnu Maharaja, Giri Maharaja, Rupanuga, Gaura-Gopala and Kunja-vihari More photos can be viewed at the following URLs – 
http://nilanewsom.com/kumbha-mela/
http://rammohanphotography.com/maha-kumbha-mela-biggest-spiritual-spectacle-earth

Guru Maharaja & Visnu Maharaja at the Kumbha Mela
Boats at the Sangam
Pilgrims Crossing the Pontoon Bridge
Thousands of pilgrims arriving at the Mela
Pontoon Over the Ganga
The Mela at Dusk
The Mela at Dusk
Guru Maharaja, Visnu Maharaja, Giri Maharaja, Kunja-vihari, Gaura-Gopala & Rupanuga
Pilgrims from Kutch in Gujarat
A Villager from Gujarat
Saivite Sadhu
The Ganga at Night
Pilgrims Bathing on Mauni Amavasya
Sadhus at the Naga Camp
A Naga Baba
A Naga Indulges in Some Ganja
A Sadhu Giving Blessings
A Naga
A Naga Covered in Rudraksa Beads
Naga in his Camp
Old Naga
Young Naga
Old Sadhu Bathing in the Ganga
A Village Pilgrim Gets a Painful Shave
Sadhu on the Riverbank
Old Man Applying Tilaka
Two Sadhus
Ramanandi Sadhu
Nagas Returning from the River
Naga Ascetic
Sadhu Reading Sastra
Naga with Trisula
Sadhu Putting on a Turban
Old Sadhu
A Sadhu of the Ramanandi Sect
A Naga
A Tapasvi
An Old Tapasvi
Gaura-Gopala Shooting from the Bridge
A Naga in His Tent
A Young Sadhu
A Young Naga Ascetic
Ekadandi Sannyasins
A Brahmana Chanting Japa
A Pandita Reading the Puranas
An Old Saivite Sadhu
Rupanuga in the Field...
A Brahmana Pandita Reciting Sastra
An Old Brahmana Applying Tripundram
Old Sadhu
A Ramanandi
Guru Maharaja Talking to Sacchidananda Prem Swamiji
Srila Guru Maharaja at the Sangam Worshipping Ganga-devi
Guru Maharaja & Visnu Maharaja Chant Gayatri on the Banks of the Ganga
Srila Guru Maharaja at the Mela
A Brahmana Performs a Homa
A Sadhu Covered in Thorns
A Kumbha-Mela Elephant
Mela at Dusk
The Mela at Night
Mounted Poilce
Bathing on Mauni Amavasya
Two Village Pilgrims
Guru Maharaja at the Camp
Giri Maharaja Overlooking the Mela Site
Woman Offering Respects to Mother Ganga
Crowds During the Early Morning on MaunI Amavasya
A Float Carrying a Hindu Guru
Hindus Carrying Saffron Flags
Hindu Guru, Swami Maheshwarananda in a Sombrero
Naga Stampede!
Early Morning Snana
Bathing in the Conflluence of Ganga and Yamuna
Sadhus Sit Down for a Free Meal
A Hindu Holy Man Gets His Ears Cleaned
Seagulls and Sadhus at the Sangam
Village Feet
A Holy Man Reading Scripture
A Lone Boat at Dusk
The Sangam at Twilight
Boats on the Ganga at Dusk
Sound, Sadhus and a Sea of People...
A Child Dressed as Siva
A Gaudiya Vaisnava Sadhu
A Sea of Humanity
A Hindu Lady Worships Ganga
A Boy Dressed as Lord Siva
Srila Guru Maharaja Talking about the History of Kumbha-Mela
A Cold and Foggy Mela Morning
Srila Guru Maharaja Autographs a Copy of the Gita for Sacchidananda Prem Swamiji
Tags: Festivals