[sam_boy]

Ohhh .. ADC Da !!!! Only you can do this.

For sometime I thought I was physically present in the Kumbh Mela. Just Amazing. I m a big fan of your adventures, writing and photography. Please let me know when you are going for your next trip. I would accompany you for sure

[adc]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

I'm not one to enjoy many travelogues, but yours was really something I was glued to. Loved the pictures, loved the passion in your writeup. Two thumbs up, and then some. Cheers!

Originally Posted by ebonho

Fantastic National Geographic type pics ADC! Hats off for the ride and the spiritual experience of a liftime bro.

Thank you so much for the wonderful appreciation!!

Originally Posted by akroy

ADC da, wonderful pics. your thread and wonderful pics made me experience/enjoy the maha-kumbh from the far-far west.

How was the ride on the Bullet? Must be blast on NH2.

Abhi[/quote]

Abhi, so good to hear back from you after a long time. Bullet ride was bliss, around 11-12 hours on saddle and just a few breaks.

Originally Posted by sam_boy

Please let me know when you are going for your next trip. I would accompany you for sure

And it is good to hear back from you also. Hope everyone is doing fine in your house in Jeypore.

And just returned from exploring one of the least travelled and absolute dense forest in Orissa, though only around 3 hours from Bhubaneshwar.

We travelled to Basipalli range, the opposite side of Satkosia. Will be detailing it more in the Satkosia travelogue that is there.

Brilliant experience with journeys into the forest at dead of the night and in some of the most challenging roads.

A few pics of Basipalli Sanctuary - Kuanria and Chamundia range.


Entering the Chamundia range of Mahanadi Wildlife Sanctuary [Towards Kusanga range], Orissa, around midnight



and deep inside the forest, very few come out here and so more or less the tracks are not well defined.






It was one heck of a travel, maximum concentration drive among narrow and unused forest tracks and finding a way through rocks and nullahs. Would be writing more about it in the Satkosia travelogue - some great and unique wildlife experiences encountered too.










Back to Kumbh Mela pics




Two naga sadhus in their camp, Juna Akhara






Pilgrims at Triveni Sangam, Mauni Amavaysa snan, February 10, 2013




A boy flies kite at the Maha Kumbh Mela camp grounds




A pilgrim from Rajasthan




A sadhu rubs ash after a bath at Triveni Sangam, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013




Naga sadhus of various akharas in their procession after the royal bath of Mauni Amavaysa, February 10, 2013










contd..

[adc]

At Maha Kumbh Mela




Display depicting the life of Mahayogi Pilot Baba

[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6276333.stm ]
As a pilot, he went by the name of Kapil Singh.

During the 1965 India-Pakistan war, he flew several sorties over Pakistani territory. Reports say his bombings killed many.

Pilgrims at the mela
Pilgrims at the mela take their holy dip

"It's the game of war. If you don't kill, then you will get killed," he says matter of factly.

But that was in another lifetime.

"In 1966 I was flying an MiG aircraft in the north-east of India. The controls failed. I had a vision of my guru Hari Baba. He appeared in the cockpit of the plane and helped me land safely. So I decided to start another life," he says.

Pilot Baba says the new life has given him peace. "I'm more relaxed now, there's no fighting and I can help people."

At a camp of a sadhu at Maha Kumbh Mela, 2013






Children dressed as Hindu gods beg for alms on the auspicious bathing day of Mauni Amavasya during the Maha Kumbh Mela




A police control help booth for pilgrims



Pilgrims move towards Triveni Sangam on a shahi snan day




Everyday after his morning puja, Avadhoot Vijayananada sits on this swing of thorns/spikes in the ritualistic style with 'vajra' (Hindu deity Indra's weapon) in one hand and a rosary in the other.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...-goddess-durga

"When I sit on the swing, I ask the goddess to bless politicians in the country with a mind that hates corruption and works only for the purpose of nation building," he said."

Though he has never aspired for a bed of roses, Avadhoot (entry level naga seer) Vijayananda has deliberately chosen a 'swing of thorns' for himself. Everyday after his morning puja, Vijayananada sits on this swing in the ritualistic style with 'vajra' (Hindu deity Indra's weapon) in one hand and a rosary in the other.

He sits on an iron swing, the seat of which is actually a 2.5 by 2 feet long tray that contains some 150 spearheads tucked into it from noon to sunset for the last 24 odd years and goes to kumbh with the swing called katon wala jhoola. All this while, he prays to Goddess Durga to bless 'politicians in the country with a mind that is averse to corruption and thinks of nation building all the time'. On the reason behind the drill, he says, "yeh meri bhisma pratigya hai." (This is my ultimate pledge).

What Vijayananda does is a form of hatha yoga or a form of abstract meditation. And the entire kumbh mela premise is full of such people. In the six hour long drill, a disciple pulls the swing to and fro. And to add to the difficulty level of his pledge, he burns wood under his swing.

"Bhisma pratigya" reminds of the story of Mahabharata in which Bhishma, the son of Ganga took an extremely difficult pledge. The legend says that his father wanted to marry Satyavati, the daughter of a fisherman. The would-be bride's father however disagreed stating that his grandsons would never get a chance to sit on the throne for he was the heir-king and thereafter, his sons and the future generations would have the right to succession. He also said that the children of her daughter and their successive generations would lead and oblivious life.

In response to the objection raised, Bhishma took the oath that he would never marry and live as the custodian of the throne and the king on it. Vijayananda's swing of thorns also finds semblance with Bhishma who lay on a 'bed of arrows' shot by Arjuna during the battle between Kauravas and Pandavas. Legends also say that Bhishma spent a part of his life at the Sangam in Allahabad. Today, Allahabad is the only city which has a temple of bhishma. It enshrines a huge statue of Bhishma in sleeping posture and is located near the rear gate of gate of Nag Vasuki temple.

Vijayananada never faced any such harsh situation in his life for he took sanyas at a very early age. "I was in my teenage when I met my guru. For the last 40 years, I have been following his way of life," he stated. However, he clarified that his guru never sat on the any such swing. He claims to be sitting on the thorny swing in national interest. "I worship bhagwati (goddess durga) who is the divine mother and one's country is also one's mother. But our country is suffering because of the selfish interests of politicians who represent the population. When I sit on the swing, I ask the goddess to bless politicians in the country with a mind that hates corruption and works only for the purpose of nation building," he said.

The seer claims to be doing this for the last three decades. But his dream of a corruption free India and godly politicians seems to be a distant. On does he feel that things have changed for the better or not, he remains positive. "Yes they have changed," he affirms. To support his faith he added, "Public outcry over corruption, governance and nirbhaya are only an example."

A child is reached out to touch and get blessing from a holy man, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013



Almost the last batch of pics, would be posting next some pics of the days spent in the ashram where I stayed.


contd...

[Bull_Twin]

Hi adc, great fan of your safari an pics you post. Is it possible to get similar "The wanderers " sticker you have on your safari..
Cheers

[himadrimondal]

Absolutely floored by the photographs, simply fantastic. Your association with the Bullet is as legendary as the Kumbh. Loved the first photograph of your Dad with the Bullet.

The other thing that interests me is the Mahanadi Wildlife Sanctuary travel.
Would love to know more about this part too.

[sanjoy50]

ADC - aha what wonderful pictures ! You never fail to amaze us with ur trips .
Keep going brother.

[adc]

Originally Posted by Bull_Twin

Hi adc, great fan of your safari an pics you post. Is it possible to get similar "The wanderers " sticker you have on your safari..
Cheers

It is not that "hi-fi" as it looks! Printed out the font and style on MWord and showed it to a sign painter and sticker fellow near our house and told him about the way it should look and if it is possible.

The sticker guy's enthusiasm is what counted - painting number plates and sticking up goofy stickers on motorcycles, he at last found something different to do - he took that MWord document and made vinyl printouts of each and every letter - and finally pasted all those separate alphabets keeping it perfectly alinged on the plastic cadding of the Safari. All in all it was around Rs 500 for both the sides, but some 3-4 years back.

Originally Posted by himadrimondal

Absolutely floored by the photographs, simply fantastic. Your association with the Bullet is as legendary as the Kumbh. Loved the first photograph of your Dad with the Bullet.

The other thing that interests me is the Mahanadi Wildlife Sanctuary travel.
Would love to know more about this part too.

Thank you himadri. Needless to say that your Borong bird travel story made me go out and find out what birds I can locate at our own city house - Purple Sunbird was the interesting find, got a couple good pics with the 55-250.

Remember back in 2009, when we travelled to the remote Eagle Nest WLS in December end, met with a birder from Pune - always have admired the passion, intricate knowledge, mind numbing patience of bird photographers.


Mahanadi Wildlife or Baisapalli WLS [now a part of Satkosia Tiger Reserve] lies on the opposite bank of River Mahanadi of the more known Satkosia, Anugul side. This is approachable from the Nayagarh side with FRH at Kuanria and Chamundia.

Will be detailing it more in the Satkosia travelogue section of our trips.

Originally Posted by sanjoy50

ADC - aha what wonderful pictures ! You never fail to amaze us with ur trips .
Keep going brother.

Thank you!! It is now almost a year that we had that amazing coincidence of meeting you and Chandranath da's family at Monpong Forest hut - as we were staying over there for a night while back from our Central Arunachal trip, March 2012 and while you were all headed towards North Bengal travel. And what a night we spent discussing about all things travel and drives!



More or less the headline pics have ended, posting some more as I go through the folder.


Pilgrims on their way to Triveni Sangam







Near Triveni Sangam, processions, pilgrims and sadhus



























contd..

[SS-Traveller]

An outstanding set of photographs, ADC, and I especially loved the candid portraits.

How was the fog in the morning? No pics in the fog?

[Bull_Twin]

Originally Posted by adc

It is not that "hi-fi" as it looks! Printed out the font and style on MWord and showed it to a sign painter and sticker fellow near our house and told him about the way it should look and if it is possible.

The sticker guy's enthusiasm is what counted - painting number plates and sticking up goofy stickers on motorcycles, he at last found something different to do - he took that MWord document and made vinyl printouts of each and every letter - and finally pasted all those separate alphabets keeping it perfectly alinged on the plastic cadding of the Safari. All in all it was around Rs 500 for both the sides, but some 3-4 years back.

And I hope you wont mind if I get similar for my Safari .
Your posts are interesting, unique and very inspirational

[Samba]

Yet another awesome thread i got hooked to. Was just going through the topics of Team BHP and this topic made me stuck over here. Read the whole till now, a very nice writeup with some superb photographs. Eagerly waiting for more to come.

[adc]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

An outstanding set of photographs, ADC, and I especially loved the candid portraits.

How was the fog in the morning? No pics in the fog?

Originally Posted by Samba

Yet another awesome thread i got hooked to. Was just going through the topics of Team BHP and this topic made me stuck over here. Read the whole till now, a very nice writeup with some superb photographs. Eagerly waiting for more to come.

Thanks again.

Fog was mostly in the very early morning or late nights but the days I was there not much fog around the day time.

Originally Posted by Bull_Twin

And I hope you wont mind if I get similar for my Safari .
Your posts are interesting, unique and very inspirational

Aare! go ahead and do post the post-sticker image


The last of the general Kumbh Mela pics.


A sadhu fixes up a image of his guruji, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013




A man dances to a bhajan song at an ashram, Maha Kumbh Mela


People gather around a sadhu lying on a bed of thorns


Pilgrims on their way to Sangam




A sadhu plays the flute after a bath at Triveni Sangam




A dhaki or a drummer during an aarti of an ashram




A young Naga sadhu - just 10 years old


contd..

[Bull_Twin]

Originally Posted by adc

Aare! go ahead and do post the post-sticker image

Sir, dont be surprised if ppl say they spotted your safari in Leh, that will be mine. I will be travellng to Leh this weekend with Wandereres printed. Will surely post pics from there.

Thanks

[advaitlele]

The moment I read the subject line and the name that followed --- I knew it was something interesting.
You deserve nothing less than standing ovation from the community - T-BHP.
I am not sure I would ever go to the Kumbh Mela...but you have made me see that life sitting here in Pune.