BB Showcase: Moments from the Maha Kumbh Mela by Ajay Jain |
The thing with myth is that one story always has many variations. There are many versions of the story behind the grand Kumbh Melas that are hosted in India every four years.
Legend has it that once the Devtas (Gods) lost their strength. On Bhrama’s advice, they decided to churn the ocean for amrit or Nectar which would make them immortal and reinstate their strength. In order to do so, they sought the help of the powerful Rakshasas (demons) and agreed to share the Amrit with them equally. The Mandar Mountain was used as a churning rod and Vasuki (the king of serpents) as the rope. After 1000 years worth of churning, the Dhanvantri (the divine healer) appeared with a kumbh (pot) containing nectar. It was then that, a fight broke out between the Gods and the Demons who now no longer wanted to share the amrit. The fight went on to last 12 human years. During the fight, Garuda, the celestial bird flew away with the Kumbh. As he flew from one place to another, the drops of nectar fell at four places on earth which is now called Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nasik. To commemorate this event, Hindus gather at these places giving it the name, Kumbh Mela every four years and the Maha Kumbh, as we witnessed this year is held every 12th year.
Ajay Jain is an author, journalist, blogger and photographer with the eye for great images. His blog, www.kunzum.com details his discovery of our country, which he does in many different ways. In today’s context, he is pretty much always on the move, driving around India, writing for this travel blog. With dedication and passion like his, you can be assured of great results and that is exactly what we get. Ajay made his way to the Kumbh Mela this year and was generous enough to share his images with us. Have a look.
Click on the images to view slide show.
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