55 Fiction # 7 - Kumbh Mela – Holy Dip

Hundreds of Thousands had gathered. It comes once in every 12 years. They had all descended from around the world to take the holy dip and get rid of all the sins. Now all left to do was to think where to take a dip to wash all their sins for polluting the Holy Ganga.

                                                                        -KARAN

Authors note:

Kumbh means a pitcher and Mela means fair in Hindi. The pilgrimage is held for about one and a half months at each of these four places where it is believed in Hinduism that drops of nectar fell from the Kumbh carried by gods after the sea was churned. The festival is billed as the "world’s largest congregation of religious pilgrims".

Kumbh Mela takes place every twelve years at one of four places: Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The Mela in its different forms alternates between Prayag, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar every third year. The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at only two places, Haridwar and Prayag.