Ardh Kumbh Mela in Allahabad

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The Ardh Kumbha Mela in Allahabad.
The Ardh Kumbha Mela is a kind of half that Kumbha Mela is celebrated every three years to the middle between the past Maha Kumbha Mela and the next which is held every 6 years. The Kumbha Mela is celebrated in the 4 city where traditions are falling drops of amrita-l 'elixir of immortality-: Ujjain, Allahabad, Nasik and Haridwar. This was' done on the Sangam of Allahabad, the confluence of three sacred rivers: the Ganges, the Jamuna and the mythical Sarasvati .. The Sangam is a huge expanse of sand, really huge. Two months before the holidays are planted 20 000 for the light poles, combined with one another 3 000 km of electric wire, enough to join the Indian Sub Continent from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The expanse is filled with fields, fields that host many different types of people: the fields of military and police are the most extensive surveillance is widespread, and after there are fields that host the various sadhu, some real ashram, Sadhu where the "head" is placed with its follow-up and receive the pilgrims with their offers, dispense blessings and teachings. The Naga sadhu, the more spectacular because those are the bare strange behavior, they live apart and are more difficult to bring. Following areas of poor, the beggars, the crippled, hideous in their dirt, scattered with rubbish and human excrement. Already! Why despite the publicity about some Italian newspapers about the "prefabricated bathrooms" pilgrims prefer the open air, and not seek to any point apart but fits their needs exactly when they need them! Let me explain that as they were prefabricated bathrooms, four pieces of sheet metal poorly supported by wooden poles, no door, in a series of holes 40 cm apart from each other, without any division, and filled up to it can not not even be usable! But the crowd is happy, low hygiene is concerned, little is concerned with the cold and moisture. The crowd is a river of color that comes down smiling to the ghat where, bathroom, hoping to find a complete purification. We arrive in the evening, the Sangam is spectacular. The crowd goes down to the Sangam lit a day. Take the boat and we head towards the confluence, the most sought after for the bathroom. A family of pilgrims is immersed in water up to the waist, their skin goose, but insensitive continue with the offer of the Aarti ritual, the ceremony of the fire. Gently placing a leaf-shaped boat on water with different offerings: flowers, fruit and a lamp lit joins many other lights that slide on the River. We speak good English and asking if we can send photos via email. Return early in the morning, six, and we get to discover a ghat that is reserved for VIP Indians. The police officer, a species of bear, not even taking into account my press card or the pleas of the guide; turns shouting and se na go with our papers in hand. The detention request, ringhia me restores my press card and leaves. Let us be about ten kilometers on foot to arrive at Ghat where the poor mortals like us can embark. Long journey but the end is not bad. It's not bad because we are in the crowd, the famous smiling crowd that descends towards the ghat, even smile at us and we follow the tide! Another boat trip to the Sangam. This morning there will be 100,000 people. Many are in water, bathe, play, smile and make offers. Some mothers, hopes that their young can be purified, and immerse them bimbi emblazoning, with reason, for the cold. It is the second important bathroom. Descend from the boat because they expect another ten kilometers to get to the machines, and passing between the last Sadhu left the party. Some are very gentle and make pictures, others just see the camera stretch their hands to ask for money. Let one of the sellers of parrot green plastic hanging sticks carried in the shoulders, through the beggars and the crippled in terms so pitiful that I had never seen; Lerch pass in the fields of some pilgrims, and we come across a little girl painted completely blue a tambourine in his hand that reads the part of Shiva. Worth a few photos, and Soldini, is too beautiful and found her intelligent. We enter the tent of some kind and hospitable Sadhu, half naked, one of them spoke perfect English. Asks me where we get behind him while his companion prepares a huge cylum who smoke in a few seconds. Let them shake hands. The speaker continues to say names of people who have lost or who have been found. One lady, although it is not clear if drunk, crazy or just happy, we are meeting with the tongue out, laughing and dancing forsennatamente. He does not want anything! As it came, it disappears. In a secluded tent is the last Naga Babu dell'Ardh Kumho apple. It is sitting, naked and fat, in his tent, in front of him burning a log, surrounded by various weapons: trident, swords and other items. The trembling is driving women away and told me to take off their shoes to go next, goes on to say that I have not even touch the camera so that the Naga would not have hesitated to kill me. I look good! The guide will prostrate before him, I remain standing. The poor is attacked by a long speech of Naga, I do not understand anything but follow his actions. Every now and then ceases resumed making snap your fingers, pointing his finger threateningly against driving scared, pulls out a pack of cigarettes, and smoke. Following his admires him with reverence. After about fifteen minutes, body of his cries, I say I want to drive to go on. He is happy. "What said the Naga?" I ask him, he replies that he was angry about the influx of Westerners, he asked why we still photos etc ... Perhaps he is right ... The Kumbha Mela is advertised and sold throughout the world as a tourist attraction! The next morning we return to the last time, are already disassembling all, the human flow has decreased significantly. We welcome the Sangam putting us a boat with offerings of water, such as request for a blessing. At the station there's an additional surprise. The train should start at 18.30. When we arrive we find it hard even to walk, so crowded. It is simply impossible. The pavement is so full that remain open a few inches before falling on the tracks. The loudspeaker announces that the train will start around 21, soon after becoming the 22nd Luckily we find a bench to sit and wait in the cold enjoying the show. Three trains arriving already crowded. The scrum / fight to climb is not describable in words. A customer a little scared asks me, smiling: "It will be so, our wagon?" The calm, the book has one berth. Arrives and we try to go up to the spectacle we see one of our carriers, while salt is attacked by a Sadhu who claims to rise before him. Sadhu argue why not spring, does not know that seats are booked, and threatens with the trident, the controller acts that fall on the jostling making our carrier which in turn drops the suitcases. Gain at the end of our bunks with all baggage. The train, after another twenty minutes, it moves slowly and we salute Allahabad.
Franco Pizzi, February 2007