CONFLUENCE OF FAITH !

In the sacred land of Prayag (Allahabad) every year Magha Mela is organized on the banks of the CONFLUENCE of three holy rivers GANGA, YAMUNA and SARASWATI better known as ‘Tiveni Sangam’. It is one of the greatest religious events in India.

‘Magha Mela’ as the name signifies is organized in the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar. However the festive season ends as late as Mahashivratri in the next month but the main snan days (days for holy dip) are in the month of Magha (mid Jan. - mid Feb.) commencing from ‘Makar Sankranti’. It is believed that during this holy interlude 33,000 deities reside here, hence the place is glorified as ‘TeerthRaj Prayag’.

Multitude pilgrims hail from not only throughout India but also from many parts of the world to attend the pious congregation. Sages and holy men observing ‘Sanatan Dharma’ come with their followers and reside in temporary abodes called ‘maths’ and ‘akhadas’. They practice religious activities, take holy dip in rivers, offer prayers and spend their day in devotional songs, expound religious text and they set public kitchens to feed pilgrims and poor.

A township of tents comes up on the bank of Sangam where common pilgrims reside for a month and observe ‘KALPWAS’. According to Hindu religious text ‘KALP’ means a time period of four yugs viz... Sat yug, Treta yug, Dwapar yug and Kal yug. Hence the pilgrims who observe kalpwas and follow its discipline of two times bathing in Holy River and one time meal are believed to be free from the bondage of birth and death cycle and overcome all the sins they have committed in their present and past life.

The township dwelled during Magha in Sangam is adorned with all the facilities vital for a residential area viz... shops, police station, hospital, or a court of law and for a period of time the area has its own officials and bureaucrats.

Along with all the religious activities a fair is also structured. Colossal market is installed, beautiful handicrafts, clothes, eatables, or can say every other commodity is available. In addition to it there is an arrangement for entertainment in fair as well. Also cultural programs in the evening hours are staged. Apart from all this the most catchy means of amusement is boating and of course our loyal guest the ‘Siberian Beauties’, the white birds which flock in water and add to the beauty of the aura. This manifest exquisiteness is enjoyed by tourists and the local mass as well.

On the ‘mukhya snan’ day (main bathing day) Allahabad becomes most populated city on the Globe.

This year too several devotees have hailed from various parts of India to be a part of the holy congregation and holy snan (bath). ‘Makar Sankranti’, ‘Mauni Amavasya’ are two major snan days which have been peacefully conducted and on 8^th Feb 2011 is ‘Basant Panchami’ the third mukhya snan day and will be followed by ‘Magha Purnima’ and ‘Maha Shivratri’.

India is a land of diversity and ‘Magha Mela’ is one of the threads of its colourful fabric. Being a citizen of this holy land I myself feel proud to witness this amazing gathering every year which brings purity of thought, charity, meditation, diffusing sublime aura, envisaging devine presence , austerity of supreme belief in God and above all CONFLUENCE OF FAITH.

RICHA TIWARI

Student

B.A in Media Studies

University of Allahabad