Travelogue: Maha Kumbh Mela Allahabad 2013

I took Indigo flight from Bengaluru to Lucknow and landed Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport at Amausi at 6PM. I took a cab and reached Charbag railway station where I took a hotel. Next day I roamed around in Lucknow and visited Sahara Ganj Mall, Hazarat Ganj and Ambedkar Park in Gomati Nagar.

Flight: early bird advantage

Lucknow is a place I love for listening delicate Nawabi language, hospitality and politics. it was seconded when I encountered an interesting Auto driver. I wanted to go Ambedkar Park at Gomati nagar from Shara Ganj mall. I tried to hire an auto from Sahara Ganj Mall, auto driver said Rs 150, while I said Rs 100. He agreed in Rs 100 on a condition that I would visit a Chicken Saree Shop on the way to see some Sarees so that he gets some benefit of bringing customers to shop. I visited Saree shop, after Saree shop I enjoyed auto driver's lucknowi talk of Akhilesh Yadav’s election promise of unemployment allowance, bad roads, and  nothing new in new government of Uttar Pradesh.

Ambedkar Park in Lucknow

In the evening I took Ganga Gomti train to Allahabad and reached Allahabad around 11 PM, then took a hotel and slept.

Next day morning, I got up early, took tea and Dahi Jalebi in road side shop and got ready to go to School, where I was invited to do a yoga camp. My friend who arranged the yoga camp came with car and picked me up. When I reached school, assembly was over, I was disappointed as I was suppose to deliver a lecture on Yoga in the school assembly. However, principal said that they have changed assembly time and arranged some 500 students and 25 teachers in assembly ground again for Yoga session. I first spoke about Yoga with focus on 3 things (Good code of conduct, Experiment and self less action) and then taught Asana and Pranayama.  I was pleased to know that this work got a place in Amar Ujala Hindi newspaper next day. After yoga camp I went to mela area and took a holy dip in Ganges river.

Yoga camp coverage

Snan(holi dip) area

Next day morning me and my friend went to roam around in mela again, we took a manual rickshaw till start of mela area and then walked on foot whole of mela.  With their camps, almost all big spiritual personalities were spreading philosophy of Hindu religion, Yoga and Peace… All of India was visible in mela as people from every part of country came to take a holy dip.

Ricksaw went upto this point

The  Naga

Three children in mela area

After walking around many spiritual camps, we thought of having some fun and visited Maut ka Kuan(well of death), giant wheel, and shooting. We watched in amazement as the fearless riders performed their tricks with cars and motor bikes, displaying their balance and perfection in well of death. View of spellbound Mela area from top of giant wheel reminded me an watching an old movie. Shooting gave me an opportunity to test the power of silencing the mind. I took a deep breath in, silenced my mind, stilled my body, aimed and pulled the trigger... Result was that 95 percent of my shots were on exact target. After this, my friend advised me of doing it for a living.

Well of death

View of camps from giant wheel

Made line between orange and blue in continuous shots

Then, we went to Chauk area to get a Banarasi Saree. It was a very crowded area, we looked at many shops to see Banarasi Saree and then bought from a very old fixed price shop as suggested by friend.

A beautiful Banarasi Saree

Next day I left Allahabad by intercity express to Lucknow, train reached Lucknow 8 hours late and I missed my train from Lucknow to my hometown. Jai ho Indian Railways…

Some people come to Kumbh to wash away their sins, some people come to spread knowledge and some people come to gain knowledge. Whatever is the reason of their coming to Kumbh, there is a strong belief that brings so many people to the sides of Sangam, perform rituals and take a holy dip. When I look back, I see that this Journey was a memorable experience to witness a captivating phenomena of belief…