Prayagraj: The auspicious Magh Mela, an annual festival held in the month of 'Magha', near river banks and Hindu temples attract people from across the nation. The 57-day long Magh Mela kick-started on January 14 on the occasion of Makar Sankranti and it will end on Maha Shivratri.
During the entire month of Magh Mela, pilgrims perform Kalpvas on the bank of Sangam Ghat in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. The devotees stay on the banks of Sangam in tents and take an early morning bath and participate in other religious duties.
Started during the reign of emperor Harshavardhan, Kalpvas means giving up all physical comforts to gain internal peace and happiness. The allure of the 57-day long Magh Mela is such that even working professionals cannot resist its charm and throng in large numbers to experience the Indian culture and traditions from close quarters.
The devotees also pray to attain nirvana and freedom from the bondage of life and death. Most of the devotees pray to Lord Vishnu during the Kalpavas. They also offer prayers to mother Ganga and Tulsi every morning and evening.
A century-old process, followers of Kalpvas stay at camps of pilgrimage priests where his ancestor used to stay.
The priest not only provides tents to the devotees but also arranges for them electricity, water and toilets. The priest also looks after the safety of the devotees during the Kalpavas. Nowadays, many priests have erected tin sheets around the camps. Some others have erected bamboo fences around the camps.
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Devotees live in camps during the period, donate money, sleep on the ground and eat simple food.
The priests make adequate arrangements for all the devotees who come to Prayagraj for performing Kalpvas. The sacred ritual starts in the month of Magh on the full moon day by taking a holy dip in the Ganges and devotees take a vow to follow the prescribed rituals with full devotion till culmination.
The religious congregation takes place at Tirtharaj Prayag and is attended by thousands of people from different parts of the country who do Kalpavas living in tents. Prayagraj is considered most important because it is the first among all pilgrimage centres in the country.
According to mythological belief, Kalpvas is performed to absolve devotees of their sins and end the cycle of birth and death. As such, pilgrims start lining up from as early as 3 am to bathe on the day
People of different age brackets take a dip in the holy Ganges and also recite Ramayana, Bhagwad Gita and other religious scriptures before the day ends.
Young family members accompany the elderly people at the Magh Mela. The young members consider it as an opportunity to serve the older ones and to imbibe knowledge about religion and culture.
The young accompanying the elderly persons doing Kalpavas say they get the opportunity of not only serving the elders but also of acquiring knowledge about their religion and culture.
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