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The Maha Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth, is held every 12 years on the banks of Triveni Sangam, at the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Lasting 55 days, it is celebrated at the holy site of Sangam in Allahabad; in 2013, by the time it was over, around 100 million people had made the pilgrimage to the festival.



There are three different kinds of kumbh: an ardh (or half) kumbh is held every six years at one of the three set locations, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik; a purna (full) kumbh is held every 12 years at Allahabad. The 2013 gathering was a much more bigger and auspicious one, a Maha Kumbh and that only ever happens after 12 purna kumbhs every 144 years - and it is always held at Allahabad.


A sadhu and his trishul on a shahi snan day [royal bath] at Maha Kumbh Mela, 2013



2013 is also the year I complete around 25 years of Royal Enfield Bullet riding. It all started at class 8 around on my father's Enfield Bullet, which gave way to my Royal Enfield Bullet Electra, the last batch of those having the neutral finder and left side brake. All these years it has been only a Bullet I have ever ridden. All old trips here and there, solo or we together [with Asmita], were never documented as never had a camera till recently.


So how does a born "Bulleteer" go to the Maha Kumbh Mela - By a Royal Enfield Bullet - celebrating my 25 years of Bullet riding.

Now why a "born Bulleteer", if there is a term like that!

Getting back to few reminisces>>> In my school days I used to stay at Durgapur since both my parents were working out there at the Steel Plant. My father had a Royal Enfield which he bought second hand, in 1968, all gleaming and with real good chrome rims written "Made in England". It had the original Amal carburetor and so by eight I was riding it up and it was a big thing for someone at that age; it has to be - riding a Bullet at class eight.


This one is still there with us and still an everyday ride for father and also for me - as and when I need that undiluted old style beat! Seen here my father with the Royal Enfield, 1968



As it is said, a Bullet is Bullet and there nothing like that and so never ever gave a thought to the car and it was much that feeling for long. The car experience, in early years, was our Ambassador Mark II.

But those were school days, class 11 and 12, though the car and sometimes a friend's jeep left an impression, - nothing came close to a Bullet for getting that rebel grind. Just loved the way some parents used to cringe when I took their wards for a ride and hear them quietly say - this bugger, no parent discipline and making our child go with the wrong tide.

Well then after 12, 1991, moved out to other places for studies and thus there came up one big hiatus for my 2 wheeler and 4 wheeler rides to back again in around 1990 when I returned back to Calcutta to start my Bullet rides again, sometimes solo, and of course the four-wheel drives came up in a big way as Safari VTT was bought in October 2007.

Haven't even had to try out any other motorcycle till now! It has been a Royal Enfield always from class 8 and it still is now that I am 40 years old.

Bullet Electra 2003 at Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 - 25 years of riding the Royal Enfield Bullet.




Having a growing interest in photography and being a little bit more serious about images how I click since November [ http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...nal-park.html], particularly travel & documentary photography --- thought of covering the Maha Kumbh Mela though through a different perspective. Rather than staying in a hotel or a tourist camp at Kumbh Mela grounds, my plan was to embed myself directly with an ashram and along with the general atmosphere of the Mela, see and document also how the lesser known ashrams and the saints and sadhus spend their time in the Mela.

I was staying with Paramarth Sadhak Sangha, a very low-key yet quite old ashram led by a 91-year-old yet delightful guruji, and thus documented and photographed many of the ashram's activities during my stay at the ashram.


Paramarth Sadakh Sangh ashram's camp tents for the disciples who came, I was in the tent before where the Bullet is. Sharing the tent with 8 members, 3 families from Agartala, Tripura

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Kolkata - Asansol - Prayag [Allahabad] - approx 900 km


I had to two options, one, if can manage a 4 hour break in between work, start from Kolkata the previous day to my cousin sister's house in Asansol and stay there overnight, thus covering 240 km around and then heading off towards Allahabad the next day for the remaining 600 km run - but the big condition from wife is that I am never to ride after sundown on the highway - as much as I like to drive the Safari at night during the transport part of a travel, absolutely dislike myself also to ride motorcycle after sundown for a host of reasons.

The other option was that if stuck in work, start from Kolkata at 4 am morning and cover the 900 km in a day, hoping to reach by 6 pm, before sundown.

Anyway around lunch time I do manage a 4-5 hour break in work, and start from Kolkata around 1 pm and a flawless nonstop ride to Asansol, covering 240 km in 3 hrs and 30 mts, with a light jam at the Panagarh bottleneck. Early next morning, after a hearty breakfast, courtesy my cousin sister, start from Asansol just after 730 am, with the aim of reaching the Maha Kumbh Mela grounds before sundown.


The chrome still shines and the engine still thumps without missing a beat - the last of the cast irons with left side brake and neutral finder - Around 1 lakh 44,000 km young Royal Enfield Bullet Electra




A short stop beyond Dhanbad for fresh sugarcane juice - sweeping sparse traffic highway of Jharkhand guarantee for a wonderful ride.



It was a pure Bullet ride, just a few short stops and hours on the saddle. Just the way a motorcycle ride should be. A final stop near Varanasi





Branched off the bypass highway around 5 pm, and into the Mela grounds by 6 pm just before sun down. Entered through Jhusi side, down the original GT road!



Found out the Paramarth Sadakh Ashram camp, located in Sector 9, soon was allocated the tent and a well deserved rest for the Bullet

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The Bullet however stayed over there parked for 8 days I was there, only taken out on the last day, as I walked through the Mela grounds for photography, trying to cover this 20 sq km areas as possible.

The huge riverbank tent city was divided into sectors or temporary districts with their own district magistrates. Having been there during the royal baths, I would consider the administration doing their best and having managed the Kumbh Mela very well.

For a detail description, this article would give an idea of the huge management that had been there each and every day of the Mela - So how do you prepare for such a vast number of people converging on a site that is 20 sq km (4,932 acres) - and keep them warm, fed and safe?



Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 photo essay - Images in no particular sequence



A sadhu or holy man offers prayer during the holy dip of Maha Kumbh Mela.




Pilgrims watch a procession of an akhara going towards the ghat during the shahi snan day




A yagna pandal of an ashram




Two sadhus on their way to the royal bath

Two flute sellers at the Mela




Naga sadhus rejoice as they take the royal bath at Triveni Sangam




Elaborate earings of a pilgrim from Gujarat




A sadhu has a close look at the camera, as he heads back from sangam bath



contd...

[adc]

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 photo essay - contd...



A sadhu smokes the chillum at the Maha Kumbh Mela.




A priest does the ritual of sun worship after taking the holy dip at Sangam, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013.




A sadhu stands in line as the procession of an akhara heads towards Triveni Sangam




A foreign devotee of Hare Krishna movement, ISKCON, at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2013.





Two elderly pilgrims from a Rajasthan village





A view of the Maha Kumbh Mela ground and Sangam.




contd...

[tsk1979]

Note from mod : Thread moved to Travelogues section, thanks for sharing

[adc]

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 photo essay ...


Two families along the River Ganges at Maha Kumbh Mela 2013




A sadhu or holy man on a shahi snan day [royal bath ], Maha Kumbh Mela 2013.




A naga sadhu of Juna Akhara




A naga sadhu of the Juna Akhara performing the evening aarti in front of his camp



A sadhu during the Maha Kumbh Mela "Royal Bath.".



Hand in hand, not to get lost



contd...

[adc]

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 photo essay ...


A naga sadhu rushes towards the bathing place to take the holy dip.



A foreign devotee mediates at Pilot Baba Camp of Maha Kumbh Mela 2013



A sadhu or holy man takes a dip during the "Royal Bath" of Maha Kumbh Mela 2013.



A sadhu or holy man gesticulates while taking the holy dip at Maha Kumbh Mela.




Women collect sand as it is considered holy once a procession of holy men or sadhus have passed.




Early morning sadhus take the dip on a shashi snan day of Maha Kumbh Mela




A vast multitude of pilgrims on Mauni amavasya snan, February 10, 2013




contd...

[adc]

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 photo essay ...


A sadhu flips his hair after a dip at Triveni Sangam



A sadhu of an akhara heading towards the Sangam



A young sadhu taking the holy dip.



A foreign sadhu blows off while smoking the chillum at an akhara camp



A naga sadhu on a horse after the dip, Mauni Amavasya Snan, February 10, 2013



A dhaki or drummer of an ashram during the evening aarti, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013



contd...

[girishglg]

Saw the title and instantaneously realised of course such a super photologue of the Maha Kumbh could be framed by our one any only adc!!

Super start there and loved the hair flip pic of the sadhu. What a well timed capture making a mundane act such a visual of art!

Hope the week long camping at the site have many more of such superlative visuals and looking forward for them with bated breath now.

You do not cease to wow adc be it the Chap raasta video a must watch and an all time favourite - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...er-2011-a.html or any of your excursions. Just super!

[goswami.j]

Awesome. My salute to you for undertaking this awesome journey.

[arindamray]

it is indeed an achievement to experience such an event. somewhere it brings the belief, faith and may be more important than that humility. may be the bengalee's in the group have gone through Kalkut's epic 'Kothay Pabo Tare' which helps to visualise it. thanks adc for bringing it before our eyes.

[swami.n]

Fantastic write up and photos. And the fact that you made the trip with the bullet, makes it even more awesome. A chance to witness the maha kumbh for people like us who could not be there in person. Many thanks.

[adc]

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 photo essay ...


An akhaara procession heads back after the dip at Sangam




Women dry their saris after the bath at Sangam




Pilgrims arrive on the Maha Kumbh Mela grounds as a shahi snan day approaches.




A devotee looks back at the camera, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013




Naga sadhus of an akhara head back after the royal bath, February 10, 2013




A photographer shares an image




A young boy of a Khalsa akhara shows his gatka skills, February 15, 2013




Young ascetics to be initiated as Naga sadhus on their way to Sangam, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013




Setting sun, Maha Kumbh Mela 2013



contd...

[rulerofsun]

Thanks for the wonderful pictures. Seems we both enjoyed clicking the flute sellers. I was my first Kumbh and a great one.

Regards
RoS

[TwinHead]

Originally Posted by adc

Maha Kumbh Mela 2013 photo essay ...
[u][b]

salute you sir for the great treat you have given to our eyes.
For many who wanted to go and dint, due to various reasons, this is the thread to get your guilt off. Thank you once again.