Dubki

So I was in office like every other weekday, first thing I do is read news about today , and I was reading the news about Nashik kumbh mela 2015, was receiving different messages in social media about the important dates associated with shahi snan. I was more curious about Kumbh mela now. It was happening in Nashik which is just 4 hours’ drive from Pune. So I decided to join a friend who was planning to go as his guruji and parents were coming all the way from Jammu for the 2^nd Shahi snan at Nashik.

Kumbh mela {“ in my mind I m thinking about twin brothers getting lost due to the huge crowd as we see it all old Hindi Bollywood movies :)} ,Story behind the kumbh goes like this, we all know the story of ‘Samundra Manthan’. So a long long time ago, the Devas lost the battle with the Asuras. Devas proposed to the Asuras to work together to get this Amrut out so that they could both share it and live forever. However, when it came out after much difficulty, fighting ensued and Garuda took the pot and flew off. While in flight, four drops of Amrutfell on earth at Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. As Amrut fell, the land also became divine and blessed and hence started the tradition of a Kumbh Mela. The rivers at each of these places became blessed as well and it came to be believed that a when we dip in these holy rivers would rid you of all your sins. So started the tradition of Kumbh mela. Which is celebrated every 12 years in rotation at these places,

Prayag (Allahabad) - union of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers

Haridwar - Ganga River

Ujjain - Shipra River 

Nashik - Godavari River

We hear the stories from ppl, from news and create a perception this is how it will be and keep our self away from involving into it.This time decided let’s go and explore what exactly it is, so decided to visit Nashik on the day of second shahi snan. 13^th Sep 2015.  And take the Shahi Dubaki in holy river of Godavari. Dubaki { In my mind my childhood flashed in front of my eyes when our grandfather used to take all we kid s to Pandharpur (Holy place of Lord Vitthal) residing on the river of Bhima. I still remember how much excited we all used to be to walk in river till the water is till knee, then we all will form the circle , follow guidelines of Dadaji. In following sequence:

1.    Take some water in your one hand look towards Sun and give arghya ( Didn’t know why we doing that,)

2.    Then take three dubki by holding your nose, stop your breath go inside water.

As Dubaki s are finished, we kids wanted to play inside the river water, but dadaji used to scold us and never let us play. He used to say “The River is like our mother, by taking dubki we purify yourselves, and we should not play with water. That used to be very disappointing but now I understand the meaning of all this. }

We decided to start the journey 12^th Sep night around 12 so that we reach by 5-6 am on the shahi snan day. And our journey started with Mahindra Scorpio on NH50 (Courtesy: Zoom car).The drive has 3-4 Ghats and since the four lane construction is going on, there are some diversions, we managed to reach Nashik in less than 5 hours. All outside vehicles were stopped 25km before Nashik, which gave first impression how well the event might be organized to control the incoming traffic for Shahi snan day,it was expected that around 50L ppl will take bath in Godavari. After this point, there were local transport buses were arranged to enter the city.

We managed to convince the cops that we are headed to relative place.

5km walk to Ghat

 We reached my masi’s place, parked our car and walked about 5 Km to area close to Panchvati ghat. It was pleasant foggy morning while we were walking. Then finally we reached on building terrace opposite to Ramghat.

                                                               View from terrace opposite to Ram ghat

The view, was magnificent, all Sadhu Akhadas were arriving in pre decided sequence taking three dubki s in river and then heading back. A group of Sadhus, some on horses, some walking with stick in their hand, with the mob fleeingaway from their path, some had their body covered with sand, some with sword. The sadhus wait for this days for years, we could see the excitement, so muchenthusiasm to jump in water, and that content feeling of having shahi snan across the ghat. It was overall of full of positive energy all around.

The ghat remains closed until the sadhu snan completes.

On our way to have shahi snan (opposite to Ramghat)

We reached the opposite of Ramghat,Number of volunteers were telling people to “walk slow” “don’t rush” “Keep walking” to control the crowd. And started counting 1, 2, 3 ….11 and took 11 dubki s in water. As wetook dubki (Dip in water) entered in water, it was flowing and clean. (It will be wrong to hide what I felt, it was feeling satisfaction, feeling of being blessed and as I held my nose went inside water I felt like I become that 10 years old me taking dubki in Bhīma River) There were number of life guards inside the water, to help people. As we came out of river, our hands were sanitized and washed with Dettol by the volunteers and we smelled camphor (To kill the swine flu virus; P )

The experience of holy dip was very unique.(Frankly before coming we had decided that we will just sprinkle the water on our face and do not take dip in water, as read lots of news about water being dirty, thousands of people all around you, but after going through what changed the mind and when it happened we don’t know). Especially for a person who is not so religious, this is lifetime experience. We explored spiritualism, faith and also interacted with some of the sadhus. It was overall wonderful experience.

Dettol Sanitizer

After nonstop drive to Nashik then heading to Ghat for shahi snan, walking 10-15 km in a day we all were already feeling hungry, but there was no sign of tiredness. We headed to our car then to famous place of Nashik “ Mamacha mala “ where they serve Misal paav and Jalebi. It was the best missal I have ever had. :p

Side view of Misal

And the top view

We headed our way to Sadhu gramthe land around 300 acre at Nashik in Tapovan area for Sadhu gram was allocated to all Akhadas, charity etc... It was long beautiful walk and overall a different experience to interact with some of the Sadhu’s. Before this I never knew anything like Kumbh. Various facets of Hinduism, the rituals and the vibrant shades of this unknown to the world. After all this I started reading more about spirituality and I want to mention a book called “ Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master “ is one the reason I was more curious to know about the Sadhu’s and spirituality.From there we started our journey back to Pune, with deep thoughts in mind, and exhilaration for the when is the next kumbh happening, which is in March 2016 at Ujjain, already excited about it.

I am including some of the images clicked by my cousin: