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Millions bathe as Kumbh Mela nears end

Over 100 million have bathed along the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers during the 42-day Kumbh Mela, which concludes on Wednesday.

"While about 1.5 million people took a dip since morning on the last day, about the same number is expected by afternoon," mela officer Jeevesh Nandan told rediff.com.

He claimed that 65 million people had taken a dip on the five preceding auspicious days -- January 9, 14, 24 and 29 and February 9.

Everything at the Kumbh Mela changed on the last day, that marks the popular Hindu festival of Shivratri, which draws many to Shiva temples outside Allahabad.

Said journalist Ram Naresh Tripathi, "There will be hectic activity on Wednesday in Varanasi, the city of Lord Shiva, compared to Allahabad, which was more devoted to Lord Vishnu."

Barring the enthusiasm and fervour among masses heading for the holy sangam -- the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers -- everything looks different as the curtains draw on the 42-day 12-yearly bathing festival, that draws the largest gathering on earth.

Though the turnout on Wednesday was lower than the other five key bathing days, the religious fervour of the crowds was evident. It was a one-point objective that seemed to be drawing everyone to the 'sangam' -- a dip that would give them heavenly benediction and pave the way to divine salvation.

With the 'akharas' having departed after the last 'shahi snan' (royal bath) on January 29, there were no colourful processions.

Even otherwise, the difference was too conspicuous. Not only a deserted look of the vast stretch across the other bank, where a gigantic tent township existed until a few days back, but even the river waters seem to elude the pilgrims.

While all roads appeared to be leading to the holy confluence, from the crack of dawn, when the first batch of devout Hindus arrived, water at the 'sangam' receded by at least 300-400 metres. The spot that used to be the exclusive domain of saffron-clad, semi-clad and even unclad Naga sadhus on other auspicious days, was open to all. However, it had now turned into an extension of the sandy banks.

The receded waters had taken the real confluence of rivers some distance away from the original spot, where the greenish blue water of the Yamuna merged with the muddy yellow Ganga.

Most of the crowd comprised locals, yet one did come across a fairly large number of devotees from Rajasthan and Orissa. "We could not make it earlier as it was impossible to get transport," said Vijay Singh, leader of a 100-odd group of people from Banswara in Rajasthan.

However, Basant Das, a school-teacher in Cuttack, who was with 45 people, maintained, "Initially, we were keen to come at the beginning of the mela, but we soon realised that it would be better and more meaningful to take a dip in peace, towards the end."

Evidently, with the absence of barricades and no policemen pushing people around, and surely much lesser crowds, things looked easier and simpler for common devotees.

No wonder, one could witness a larger attendance of urbanites, in contrast to the rush of villagers so far. The sight of hundreds of thousands of men and women carrying bundles of belongings on their heads was missing. There were more buses, jeeps and cars parked within the inner circle of the mela area, from where it was a walk of one to two km to the 'sangam'.

Earlier, one had to trudge along for several miles before making it to the 'sangam'. The convergence on the bathing ghats -- now limited to the 'sangam', instead of the six km stretch -- was lower and hotels in Allahabad were packed with foreign tourists.

"We were going by the Kumbh calendar, which actually ends on Wednesday. Therefore, we decided to come down on Monday," said Ross O'Brien, a graduate just out of Leeds University in England. O'Brien, with his companion Genevieve, also a Leeds graduate, looked disappointed.

"On arrival we wondered where was the Kumbh Mela we were looking for; the place looked abandoned two days back; at least on Wednesday, there is some activity," O'Brien remarked.

Genevieve said, "There was perhaps more activity in Varanasi than one can find here."

The Naga sadhus had moved from Allahabad to the ancient city. Inheritors of Lord Shiva, as they claim to be, the Nagas were participating in special prayers being offered on Mahashivratri at Varanasi's grand old Kashi Vishwanath temple, after a customary dip in the Ganga waters there itself -- instead of Kumbhnagari, Allahabad.

The Complete Coverage: The Maha Kumbh Mela

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