Travelogue- Sinhastha Kumbh Mela- Part 1

“Jab tak kuch kho te nahin hai, kuch milta bhi mahin hain” (you don’t get anything until you lose something).  A simple but profound philosophical observation, stated with a twinkle in his eyes, by an ordinary looking ascetic of Nath community, at a tea stall in Ujjain.  A few minutes ago he came up to me as I was about to take the first sip and asked me to sponsor his cup of tea (chai pilaiye).  It was easy to dismiss him as a beggar.  But being in my third Kumbh, I know such requests for food are common- I usually do a cursory two-second scan of the person and say yes or no.  I am glad I said yes to him.  Hailing from an ashram (hermitage) in Kangaon village near Pune- the place deriving its name because of the ear-shaped turn taken by the Bhima river- he was narrating to me his experience of losing his bag with clothes, prayer accessories and money in a train while going to a temple; his temporary sense of helplessness when he realized it; and then getting almost same set of things as daan from the temple which was his destination for the journey.  The observation was his summation of his experience through this and other life events.  The conversation had started to flow with questions to each other on where we are from.  Upon hearing that I am from Kolkata, he asked a few basic questions on how to reach, and then took an on-spot decision that after the Kumbh he will first come to Kolkata to visit Kali Temple before going to Pushkar and finally going back to his base in Pune.  I was amazed to see the speed, nonchalance and conviction of such an ambitious travel plan.  I have been thinking of going to Pushkar for over three years; and was able to come to Ujjain Kumbh after six months of planning and organization.  But then I am not a traveling ascetic like him; my decisions are clouded by the ““internet” of “things”” that we, urban bred middle class grihi’s, create around ourselves.  It is precisely to touch this other world, “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, where knowledge is free, where the world has not been broken up in to fragments by narrow domestic walls, where words come from the depth of truth, where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action”, that I go to events such as Kumbh.                         

I prefer to go to such events by train or bus.  The journey to me is as important as the destination.  For the Ujjain trip, I had settled for a practical compromise of flying in to Bhopal and travel the last 100 miles by train.  This 3-hour mid-summer journey in sleeper class turned out to be the perfect prelude to my 2016 Kumbha Mela experience.  My co-passengers were a group of very unassuming Vashnav sadhus from Ayodhya who were heading for the mela.  With a “gamcha” wrapped around my neck, it was easy for me to blend in.  One of them turned out to be delightful when engaged in conversation.  I asked him what are some of the significant religious fairs which as not as publicized as Kumbh.  He suggested I go to Arunachal during Makar Sankranti in January.  Why?  Because the temple of Lord Parashuram is apparently located there; in January there is a big congregation of saints in that area.  The kush used for performing pujas by Brahmin priests apparently come from there.  I had no idea such a place existed.  I asked him where else among such unusual places he went to.  He told me about a 15-day arduous road trip that sadhus frequently undertake as a group in Nepal.  The track is uninhabited, and all food and water has to be carried for the journey along the mountains.  The destination is a place on the bank of Gandak river, where the Salgram Shila (a form of stone with smooth and shiny contour, worshipped as incarnation of Vishnu) is found.  He also invited me to events in Ayodhya where he has his Ashram.  I indeed wanted to go, and noted down his phone number, but to my utter dismay I am not able to locate my travel notebook which contained this and other precious content.  That is one important reason why this blog is delayed too.  But more significantly, I have no hope of finding him ever.  This film does not have a happy ending L

 

Upon reaching Ujjain, I took a rickshaw to “24 Khamba Sherawali Mata Devi ki Gali” from where, as per instruction of my host, I climbed the “Mahakaal Ghati” (a gentle slope with roads leading towards Mahakaal Temple).  Mr. Alok Rao Gunjal was waiting for me at the first turn.  He took me to his home, which was a old two storied house with number of rooms around a very small courtyard.  His and his extended family stayed here.  I was taken to a ground floor room which was part of Mr. Rao’s 2-room dwelling unit.  The room had a separate entrance, and attached bathroom, but one door connected to the room of Mr. Rao’s.  The room still had several personal belongings of the Rao family, and I realized later that they need to come in a few times in the day to fetch those.  His wife welcomed me warmly, brought glass of water and offered tea.  Being used to completely private accommodations as in hotel, the borderless home stay was initially a culture shock but after the first hour I started liking it.  The camp cot made some noise when I sat on it, but it did not collapse under my weight and the linen was clean.  There were too many openings in to my room, but I am alone and not carrying valuables.  I could put a lock on the iron door but the latch was short and the door would open with the lock intact when pushed!  Everything was very different from what I am used to in my normal life; everything was exactly like what I came to experience in Kumbh.  So I let go of my fear and inhibitions and embraced the situation.  This was anyway intended to be my city camp where I would keep my luggage and rest occasionally.  I had intended to stay in a tent in the camp of a Dandi Swami who had hosted us in the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.  The idea of a backup accommodation served me well, since I later discovered that due to internal politics among saints over camp site allocation, my Maharaj’s camp was shifted out to a zone which was far removed from the core area of the Simhasth.  So my centrally located home stay accommodation turned out to be a savior.  Mr. Rao is a well-informed local resident who provided me with local newspapers full of Simhasth news and gave me valuable insights over the next four days.

 

Next day, one thing in my to-do list was to see the pre-Kumbh processions, called Peshwai.  The leading Akharas take out processions to demonstrate their grandeur and importance.  The one scheduled on that day was of the Kinnar Akhara (commune of Bisexuals/Transexuals).  There is interesting background information about this.  There are 13 officially recognized Akharas.  These Akharas are granted recognition and official status in the Kumbh Melas by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), which is an apex body of Sikh and Hindu saints.  The concept was propounded by the 8^th century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya who first set up seven Akharas to strengthen the Hindu religion and unify devotees practicing varied rituals and customs.  ABAP plays an important role in various religious discourses such as Ram Janmabhoomi issue and interface with the government administration regarding important decisions for Kumbh melas.  Kinnar Akhara was formed in October 2015 with transgender rights activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi as their spiritual head ('Mahamandaleshwar').  ABAP had denied recognition for the newly formed Akhara.  Another all-woman Akhara which created quite a flutter in 2013 Allahabad Kumbh and was allotted land by the Ujjain administration in the 2016 event also met with the same fate in being denied permission by ABAP for Shahi Snan (joining the elite group of Akharas in royal bath).  Trikal Bhavanta, the woman seer and head of the Pari Akhara announced a dramatic plan for self-burial in protest and dug a 10 ft pit for the purpose.  She however ended up being arrested.  Nonetheless, the Kinnars (eunuchs) decided to go forward with the plans, including setting up their own camp and holding their own Peshwai on the day before the first Shahi Snan.  An image of Ardhnarishwara- an amalgamation of the male-female form in Lord Shiva- reportedly formed the backdrop for the Kinnar Akhara’s main stage in their camp.  They put forward several arguments in support of their stance- the transgenders are saints in real sense of the term because of ingrained asceticism, free from belief in caste, and are mentioned in Hindu scriptures with positions of dignity.  Indeed, the transgenders were once mainstream in Indian social system but lost it in course of time.  In Ujjain, the devotees flocked to see the Peshwai of the Kinnars and also to their camp seeking blessings, indicating that at the core there is still social and religious sanction about the community.  This article by Devdutt Pattanaik provides a deeper insight: http://scroll.in/article/809995/how-a-new-akhara-of-transgendered-people-stole-the-spotlight-at-the-ujjain-kumbh  

    
When I reached the precincts of the Mahakaal Temple, the excitement in the crowd about the approaching Kinnar Akhara procession was palpable.  The police looked tense, and none had authentic information about the exact route of the procession.  I learnt later that the reason of their hassle was that the procession was unauthorized, and they were throwing coins en route which resulted in huge crowd surge, raising fear of a stampede.  The police administration was trying to prevent the procession from coming near Mahakaal temple and Harsiddhi Chowk where a huge crowd was waiting for the procession with eager anticipation.  A member of the audience made a tongue-in-cheek remark that such interest is not seen in the procession of big religious leaders.  I spend half an hour trying to obtain information from police and public regarding the route of the procession, and finally climbed up a watch tower which was set at Harsiddhi Chowk for CRPF for a bird’s eye view.  Soon, there was a flurry of activity and the head of the commune was seen being escorted past the crossing amid heavy police protection.  The rally had been disbanded.  It was an exciting beginning of the 2016 Kumbh mela experience for me.

I had reached two days ahead of the Shahi Snan with the objective of exploring the mela ground in advance.  The size and scale of these events are so huge that it is impossible to have a good experience on the main day if the layout of the place is not explored in advance.  Waking up early, I had walked a few kilometers from my accommodation in to the mela ground, when an old sadhu asked me for directions of Puri Shankaracharya camp.  He was old and frail, and a Dandi Swamy too.  Another such chance encounter with a similar sadhu in Haridwar in 2010 had charted my festival experience destiny; so I do not take such chance encounters lightly.  I had passed by the huge Govardhan Math camp of Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalanada Saraswati early on in my route that day.  It would have been ideal for me to give him some cursory direction and let him find the rest of his way, but in the Kumbh spirit of sacrifice and brotherhood, I decided to walk back with him to show him the place.  He told me he came from a small ashram of Uttar Pradesh, and had been wandering around since early morning.  He walked slowly with a slight limp, in obvious pain, and kept muttering “bhangwan dekhenge (God will look after me)”.  I offered him some food, but he said he cannot accept food from any and everyone.  I was allowed to buy him some dry raisins, and he blessed me profusely. 

I spent the rest of my day walking around the city, mela premises and river bank, soaking up the ambience of the event.  I saw a large commune of foreigners queuing up to enter the Mahakaal Temple.  I learnt that they are all followers of www.yogaindailylife.org which was founded by Swami Maheshwarananda Puri of Panchayati Maha Nirvani Akhara in Vienna.  Since 1970 he has been living and working in Europe, and has a large number of disciples.  I saw a dwarf saint who was seating under a tree and many people were coming in to touch his feet.  People we clearing seeing in him the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu as a dwarf Brahmin- the Vamana Avataar.  I saw a skinny guy in tight jeans, dancing on the street in a trance without any music anywhere, seemingly high on hallucinating drugs, and then suddenly walking away with sure and steady steps.  I saw innovative water dispensing systems catering to the pilgrims.  I saw free and delicious food being distributed.  I witnessed first-hand the elaborate cleanliness drive of the administration (notwithstanding reports in Times of India about strike of conservancy workers).  I saw disciples huddled together with their Gurus, listening to their spiritual guidance in various camps.  I walked in the Vikram Teela (hillock) where the famous throne of Ujjain’s legendary King Vikramaditya of 1^st century BC is believed to be buried.  Madhya Pradesh government has re-created Vikramaditya’s courtroom at this site with a mammoth 26-feet statue of the king seated in his throne, along with life-size statues of his courtroom scholars collectively called nine gems and 32 Apsaras.  I walked by the Kshipra river and was amazed at the elaborate arrangement the administration has put in place in preparation for the mela.  16 bathing ghats were constructed spread over 8.5 km- enough space for 5.8 million people to bathe in a day.  The water flow was augmented by pumping in water from Narmada river, and water quality in core bathing areas was further boosted by series of aerators working tirelessly to oxygenate the water.  Water quality parameters were being displayed real time in electronic board in Ram Ghat.  State disaster management team was keeping a watchful eye from their speedboats, reinforcing the strict vigil being maintained by police and paramilitary force on land.  A real karma-yagna was on in the city.  The people and the administration were ready for the once-in-12-years tryst with destiny.  This is the interval of the celestial alignment when Sun is in the zodiac sign Aries and Jupiter in the zodiac Leo, during which the event is held at Ujjain (Simha in Sanskrit, hence Simhastha Kumbh Mela).   

I also curiously observed the visible presence of Muslims in the periphery of the Mahakaal Temple, which is outside of the mela zone but is a central area for congregation of pilgrims.  Two of them were seen selling Mahakaal temple literature and photos.  Both were from Bohra community.  I talked to another member of the same community in the market area- his shop was selling bags printed with Mahakaal pictures.  He spoke of the communal harmony that existed in the place, and that the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community has explicitly instructed community members to devote themselves to the success of the event and welfare of the pilgrims.  I also walked in to the Islamic Information Centre set up by the local unit of Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind and talked with the members therein.  They explained how they are supporting and assisting the event, including advising their community member transport operators not to over-charge pilgrims.  

 With a few hours of rest in my room that night, I was all ready to take another deep dive in to the ocean of experience that is Kumbh Mela in the wee hours of next morning.  I will write about that in the Part 2 of my travelogue.        

 

Signifinace of Makar Sankranti and legend of Ganga Sagar

Sagar Island, at the mouth of the river Hooghly in Bengal, where the Ganga river breaks up into hundreds of streams, and drains into the sea, is honored as a pilgrimage site, signifying the spot where ashes of the ancestors of King Bhagiratha were purified by the waters of Ganga. The temple of Kapil muni (sage) at this site is a center of worship. A dip in the ocean-river confluence on the day of Makar Sankranti when the sun makes a transition to Capricorn from Saggitarius in mid-January is considered to be of great religious significance. The small Sagar island of about 200,000 population becomes home to vast fairs, drawing visitors and recluses (sanyasis) from all over the country.

It is important to narrate the legend that is at the heart of the annual congregation at Sagar. King Sagar of the Ikshvaku dynasty ruling at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh had two queens, Keshani and Sumati, but neither had a child. Sagar performed severe austerities before his wives could produce sons. But whereas Keshani gave birth to a son called Asmajas, Sumati bore 60,000 sons. Sagar performed the Ashwamedha Yagya (sacrifice) to declare his suzerainty over the neighboring kingdoms. According to the prevalent custom, the sacrificial horse was let loose and allowed to wander into the neighboring kingdoms. If the horse was caught, a battle ensued and the outcome decided the winner. The 60,000 sons of Sagar were following the horse when they saw him enter a cavern where sage Kapil Muni was meditating. Kapil Muni was the son of Kardam Rishi and Daksh's daughter Devahooti. He was Avataar of Vishnu. Not seeing the horse in the cavern, they presumed that Kapil Muni had captured it. They did not kill Kapil Muni as he was a sage but they started disturbing his meditations. Annoyed at being disturbed, Kapil Muni with a curse burnt the 60,000 sons of Sagar. Time passed and later Bhagiratha, the great grandson of Sagar, chanced to come across the bones of his dead ancestors. He wanted to perform the shraddha of his ancestors but there was no water available for the ceremony. Agastya having drunk all the waters of the ocean, the country was passing through a severe drought. Bhagiratha prayed to Brahma, the Creator, to end the drought. Brahma asked him to pray to Vishnu, the Preserver, to allow the heavenly Ganga, issuing from His big toe, to come down to earth. Vishnu when prayed to by Bhagiratha agreed, but asked him to request Shiva, the third member of the Hindu trinity of Gods, to allow cascade of Ganga’s water to fall on his head before it came to the earth as the river. Shiva agreed, and Ganga watered the mortal remains of King Sagar’s 60000 sons liberating their souls once and forever. It is this legend that attracts people to this little island in a remote southern corner of West Bengal. The temple of Kapil Muni, as we see it today, is by no means the spot where the sage meditated. It went under the sea millennium ago followed by the many others built in its place, which subsequently was also swallowed, by the advancing sea. The present one was built only a few decades ago, quite a bit away from the sea. In the temple, three images engraved in stone are displayed, the one in the middle is that of Kapil Muni. The sage is seen in a jogasana; his eyes wide open, looking towards the sea. The idols of Ganga and King Sagar flank Kapil Muni and the horse of the sacrificial yagna stands at a distance.

Makar Shankranti is a very auspicious day as per Hindu calendar. While the traditional Indian Calendar is based on lunar positions, Sankranti is a solar event. So while dates of all Hindu festivals keep changing as per the Gregorian calendar, the date of Makar Sankranti remains constant over a long term, 14 January. Makar Sankranti is celebrated in the juncture of the last day of Hindu Calendar month of Poush and first day of Magha (January 14-15. On this day, the Sun moves from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer. According to the Hindu astrology, this is defined as movement of the Sun from Dhanu Rashi (Sagittarius) to Makara Rashi (Capricorn). Rashis are equivalent to the zodiac signs. The movement of the Sun from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti. [Picture Courtsey: Wikipedia]

The day commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and cessation of the northeast monsoon in South India. It is known by different names in different regions. While Makar Sankranti is the name in most states, in other states such as Gujarat and Rajasthan it is called Uttarayan (signifying northward movement of the Sun), Maghi in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, Pongal in Tamil Nadu. In Thailand, the day is called Songkran, in Myanmar it is called Thingyan and in Cambodia Moha Sangkran. Apart from a harvest festival is also regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture. The day marks the end of an inauspicious phase which according to the Hindu calendar begins around mid-December. No auspicious and sacred ritual such as marriage is held during the phase of mid-December to mid-January. Makar Sankranti marks the beginning of the ‘day’ of Gods, while the phase of southward movement of the sun is believed to be the ‘night’ of Gods. From the day of Makar Sankranti, all pending social and religious events are organized with great fervor and fanfare. Most Bengalis like myself look forward to a number of seasonal delicacies and expect a spate of marriage invitations starting mid-January! From a science perspective, this day marks the beginning of warmer and longer days compared to the nights. The significance of the day has been conclusively established through several important episodes of Indian mythology. According to the Puranas, on this day Surya (Sun God) visits the house of his son Shani (Saturn), who is the lord of the Makar Rashi. Though the father and son duo did not get along well, the Surya made it a point to meet his son on this day and stay with him for a month. This day thus symbolizes the importance of the special relationship between father and son. It was also on this day when Lord Vishnu ended the terror of the Asuras (Demons). While taking a dip in Ganga and praying to the Sun is the predominant form of worship on this day, the people of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharastra also celebrate by flying colorful kites. Preparing food at home with the new harvest crop such as rice and seasonal delicacies such as jaggery (sugar extracted from sap of date palm or sugarcane) is the custom in most places. Coconut and milk is also abundantly used for such preparations. Sankranti is celebrated over four days in states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Exhibition- observations

I met a very interesting array of people during our exhibition at the Academy of Fine Arts in October-November 2016.  We had over 2000 footfalls in the seven days of the exhibition.  The overall feedback received from the visitors was extremely appreciative and encouraging.  My daughter’s talent in art was of course the primary purpose and was universally admired.  We were touched by the appreciation from general visitors and honest reviews and tips received from several artists who dropped by.  But I was surprised to see the response to my exhibition of photographs, which in my mind was a filler and a side show.  Several people told us that they have never ever seen such display of the resplendency of India’s religious fairs and festivals in Kolkata.  Unknown people of all ages spent a good amount of time looking at the photos with great interest and reading the narratives I displayed.  I had organized my photos in three categories- long shots depicting the “Ambience” of the events, close up of the “Faces” depicting moods and expressions of people who come to these events, and the mythical “Naga” ascetics.  I had detailed narrative in separate frames for these categories, explaining my thoughts.  People were seen reading those with rapt attention.  Not being much of an art connoisseur myself, I am familiar with the rapid awkward shuffle across the exhibition floor when someone is disengaged with the depth of content displayed in a gallery.  We had a few of such people too; but majority were unusually glued to the photos and write-ups.  Several of them came up and talked to me, some others left their comments in visitor’s book and few others walked out without sharing their views.  A few of the comments read as follows:

 

• “photographs mesmerize; the captivating visuals transporting the viewer to real India, sans the mask of urban ‘civilization’ that we have got unfortunately used to.  It raises the Shakespearean dilemma in the viewer’s mind- ‘To Be or Not to Be’ like those natural common people in the photographs”
• “photographs make me nostalgic”
• “Been to Allahabad for 6 years but never saw the thing the way the photographer has seen.  Loved it”
• “the starkness of Naga ascetics recorded by his camera is truly mind-blowing and gives rare insight to his acumen as a candid photographer”

Interest of women in the fairs and festivals was particularly striking.  I talked to at least three lady Professors in reputed academic institutions who displayed a deep passion and experience of traveling to these events, and could connect easily with my photos.  Another group of three unknown elderly ladies came and talked to me at length about the events.  A group of poets from suburban areas spent a lot of time talking to me and my daughter.  Foreign tourists were attracted like a magnet to the photos.  Two American teachers from Woodstock International School in Mussourie accompanying a student talked to me about the events at length; visitors from Mexico, Korea and Europe spoke and left appreciative comments. 

The reaction of fellow exhibitors was mixed.  A senior artist and exhibition organizer liked our unit and took us under his wings.  He provided advice and support during the entire duration of our exhibition.  Another artist and organizer in adjacent hall was overwhelmed when I took my friend as a buyer to his hall and he bought one of the exhibits.  The artist told me later that no one wants to expose their buyers and keeps them under wraps.  A young artist came, walked the show and posted snide comments on our flex and visitors book- we took it as a constructive criticism.  Another young boy, exhibiting his vibrant Krishna-Radha theme canvases at another gallery, was mesmerized about one photo of the facial expression of a rustic old pilgrim.  I had casually clicked the photo at Ganga Sagar mela. 
 

It seemed that people could instantly connect with the liveliness and spirituality of the events- an opportunity they do not get easily in Kolkata.  A gentleman, claiming to be a film-maker, wanted to do a documentary on the Naga saints and talked to me at length about the way of life of these saints.  But I could hardly conceal a chuckle when he asking his parting question- “So, all of them are from Nagaland?”  In hindsight though, it was not so funny because the awareness about saintliness and mythology based religious events of India is abysmally low in West Bengal.  The reason for this can be debated, though the fact is undeniable.  The insularity of the Bengali community from all-India happenings may be partly responsible.  Bengal became famous for many reasons- show of religiosity is not one of them.  The socio-political discourse prevalent in the state may be another contributing factor.  The media (both vernacular and English) in Kolkata do not pay any attention to such events.  I have carried back loads of Hindi newspapers from the Simhastha Kumbh Mela’s opening days in Ujjain this year, wherein various facets of the event were the only news from cover to cover.  On same days, there would be passing reference to the event in an inside page in the newspapers of Kolkata.  These events become news here when something unpleasant or untoward happens; such as stampede; disease outbreak or crime.  But when such events happen flawlessly with participation of 10-30 million people at a riverbank, that is not news.  Even if it is the biggest human congregation on earth, as in Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, held once every 12 years in the flood plains of rivers Ganga and Yamuna.  Here, a temporary mega-city is created in four months over an area of 2000 hectares, with 770 km of electricity lines; 22,000 street light points and 130,000 private connections; 550 km of water pipeline; 44,000 toilets; 38 hospitals; 13,000 police personnel in 30 police stations; 18 temporary pontoon bridges over the rivers; 3600 extra buses and 600 special trains operating from four railway stations to transport pilgrims.  This is sheer magic.  A team from Harvard University’s South Asia Institute camped for weeks at Allahabad Kumbh trying to study the science behind this magic.  But it does not pass muster with the editors of West Bengal newspapers or national English dailies.  However, launch ceremony of Indian Premier Cricket League with 8 private club teams is considered significant enough for a leading English daily to devote more than half of newsprint space.  The perspective of television channels is the same.  Therefore, the ignorance of the common man about such events is understandable.  But the ingrained quest for spirituality bubbles up when they come face to face with candid photos of faithfuls, vibrant show of faith by commune of Naga ascetics and the magical ambience of these events.


I was deeply satisfied that my photo exhibition met an unmet need of a part of the population of the city.                     

 

                                  

 

Exhibition Experience

An exhibition of my travel photos and my daughter’s paintings happened at the Academy of Fine Arts from October 27-Nov 3, 2016.  It was our family’s maiden experience of organizing such an event- wasn’t really sure what lay ahead when we grabbed the opportunity of the availability of such a prime-time-of-the-year exhibition at such a prestigious gallery.  It is one of the oldest art galleries of India, established in 1933; and a magnet for art and theatre buffs.

The fun began after the booking was confirmed.  We were lucky to get the North Gallery- the largest and most prominent of the five galleries in the Academy.  First task was to figure out what would be a right number of exhibits, which would determine how many photographs I should plan to select from among thousands that were in my archives.  I had decided that my theme would be the “Religious Fairs and Festivals of India”- a subject I have been passionate about in the last six years.  After several visits to the gallery to see ongoing exhibitions and estimating that it would be reasonable to plan for 60 exhibits, and after deducting the number of paintings that were ready, it turned out that I can plan for about 30 photo exhibits.

Next step was to decide which photos to select for exhibition.  This was the hardest part.  In MBA days, I read an article in Harvard Business Review about “Right vs Right” decisions.  This was a classic situation exemplifying that dilemma.  I began with a shortlist of 100 photos from 8 of my favorite festival travels.  After hours of pleasant confusion and several iterations, I managed to prune it to 40 from 4 events.  But that’s it.  I could neither reduce the number of events, nor could I reject any more of the photos.  Every piece seemed critically important to tell the story of the event.  So I froze that decision pane and moved on to the next task, which was to decide where to print and at what size and cost. 

I had no idea that printing could be so confusing.  First was to decide on the size.  Technology has progressed so much that with the right megapixel size of the photo, an image can be printed to really large size.  And that too, there are several printing processes- each comes with different price points- and that too over a very wide range.  A digital print of 18”X12” from one of the many digital studios in the city would cost Rs. 20-30 per piece on 300 GSM art paper; a photo paper print of the same photo and size could cost between Rs. 100-300 (depending on the place; I later learnt of a place where they print photos of this size at less than Rs. 40; but well, hindsight is always wiser!); and a canvas print with an apparent guaranty of 20 years of fast color/photo longevity could cost Rs. 900-1000.  Faced with this incredible array of confusing information and complex decision matrix, at that stage I truly felt like Isaac Newton when he said “…to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”  Finally, I did sample printing of a few on each of the three technology platforms, and came up with a final mix which served my needs without making my budget shoot through the roof.    

Once these challenging steps were dealt with, akin to a boatman navigating the choppy waters near the shore and heading for deep sea, the rest seemed easier.  After a research on art framers and visit to five of them, I was delighted to find a place in Kalighat (a place with long tradition of art framing) where the owner is an art connoisseur himself.  It was an absolute pleasure working with him, learning from him and hearing his anecdotes.  He was totally dependable, so I was comfortable agreeing to take delivery of my framed photos on the morning of the exhibition itself- which made logistics simpler. 

Simultaneously, developing content was an important.  This included drafting invitation, catalog, poster, flex, artist’s profile, narrative of my photo exhibit categories, exhibit titles and press kit.  The unique proposition message of the exhibition was identified and drafted with meticulous attention.  After the language and format was finalized, it took several days and painstaking attention at the digital studio to freeze the final product in each category.  The end result was sweet- we really liked the output.  It was heartwarming to see the visitors and recipients appreciating these.

 

 

Planning for an impactful inauguration was a key aspect.  We worked really hard on developing a strong invitee list for the inaugural on the opening day, including Chief Guest.  We meticulously sent out invitations by email, WhatsApp or mail and followed up with personalized phone calls.  Media was contacted and specific content developed for them.  The effort bore fruit- the event was announced multiple times in leading English dailies of Kolkata.  We also planned meticulously for the inaugural peripherals; including arranging for lamp, photographer and videographer, mementos for invited guests, refreshments, and such other.

Four weeks passed like a breeze and we were at the game day- opening of our first ever exhibition!  The hall was to be ours from 11 am, and inauguration was slated at 6:00 pm.  Logistics had to be managed meticulously- carrying exhibits in to the hall in time, hiring people to hang the exhibits, deciding on the sequence in which the frames are to be put up, monitoring the level at which the frames are to be hung, arranging for the inaugural lamp and flowers, creating a cozy corner for our bags and refreshment inventory; and multitude of other tasks.  Six hours later, at 5:00 pm, the exhibition was ready to our satisfaction and we barely had time to change and get ready for the guests.  Once the guests started arriving, we felt like theatre artists, emerging from behind the curtain after days of rehearsal and ready to enact the play as per script.  The hall looked resplendent with its bright lights focused on our creations, the ready-to-lit inaugural lamp highlighted with floral décor on the floor, and a large backdrop announcing the theme of the event in the center of the hall.  We were in love with our effort right away.    

 

The inauguration ceremony of our exhibition, titled “Spirit- of Earth & Soul” was memorable.  We were honored by the attendance of dignitaries who spared their valuable time to attend.  Many friends and relatives came and became part of the celebratory environment.  There were a large number of walk-ins.  Exhibitors and guests from other galleries dropped in too.  The look and feel of our exhibition, the branding and the communication materials printed were well appreciated.  It was a huge learning experience for us to be able to organize the event smoothly.       

    

Transgender and Woman Saint Communes in Sinhastha Kumbh Mela- 2016

I reached Ujjain on a hot sultry evening of April, two days ahead of the opening day and first Shahi Snan of Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2016.  Next day, one important thing in my to-do list was to see the pre-Kumbh processions, called Peshwai.  The leading Akharas (commune of saint groups) take out processions to demonstrate their grandeur and importance.  The one scheduled on that day was of the Kinnar Akhara (commune of Bisexuals/Transexuals). 

There are 13 officially recognized Akharas- for more details refer http://www.simhasthujjain.in/about-simhasth/akhara-details/

 

1.         Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara  

2          Panchayati anand akhara

3          Panchayati Mahanirvani akhara

4          Nirvani Ani Akhara  

5          Nirmal Akhara

6          Digambar ani akhara  

7          Nirmohi Akhara  

8          Panchayati Naya Udaseen Akhara  

9          Panch Atal Akhara  

10        Taponidhi Niranjani Akhara  

11        Panchayati bada udasin akhara       

12        Panchayati Agni Akhara  

13        Panchayati Avhan Akhara

 

These Akharas are granted recognition and official status by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), which is an apex body of Sikh and Hindu saints.  The concept of Akharas was propounded by the 8^th century philosopher Adi Shankaracharya who first set up seven Akharas to strengthen the Hindu religion and unify devotees practicing varied rituals and customs.  ABAP plays an important role in various religious discourses such as Ram Janmabhoomi issue and interface with the government administration regarding important decisions for Kumbh melas.  Kinnar Akhara was formed in October 2015 with transgender rights activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi as their spiritual head ('Mahamandaleshwar').  ABAP had denied recognition for the newly formed Akhara.  Another all-woman Akhara which created quite a flutter in 2013 Allahabad Kumbh and was allotted land by the Ujjain administration in the 2016 event also met with the same fate in being denied permission by ABAP for Shahi Snan (joining the elite group of Akharas in royal bath).  Trikal Bhavanta, the woman seer and head of the Pari Akhara announced a dramatic plan for self-burial in protest and dug a 10 ft pit for the purpose.  She however ended up being arrested.  

Photo courtesy: Patrika newspaper, dated April 28, 2016

Nonetheless, the Kinnars (eunuchs) decided to go forward with the plans, including setting up their own camp and holding their own Peshwai on the day before the first Shahi Snan.  An image of Ardhnarishwara- an amalgamation of the male-female form in Lord Shiva- reportedly formed the backdrop for the Kinnar Akhara’s main stage in their camp.  They put forward several arguments in support of their stance- the transgenders are saints in real sense of the term because of ingrained asceticism, free from belief in caste, and are mentioned in Hindu scriptures with positions of dignity.  Indeed, the transgenders were once mainstream in Indian social system but lost it in course of time.  In Ujjain, the devotees flocked to see the Peshwai of the Kinnars and also to their camp seeking blessings, indicating that at the core there is still social and religious sanction about the community.  This article by Devdutt Pattanaik provides a deeper insight: http://scroll.in/article/809995/how-a-new-akhara-of-transgendered-people-stole-the-spotlight-at-the-ujjain-kumbh          

 

When I reached the precincts of the Mahakaal Temple, the excitement in the crowd about the approaching Kinnar Akhara procession was palpable.  The police looked tense, and none had authentic information about the exact route of the procession.  I learnt later that the reason of their hassle was that the procession was unauthorized, and they were throwing coins en route which resulted in huge crowd surge, raising fear of a stampede.  The police administration was trying to prevent the procession from coming near Mahakaal temple and Harsiddhi Chowk where a huge crowd was waiting for the procession with eager anticipation.  A member of the audience made a tongue-in-cheek remark that such interest is not seen in the procession of big religious leaders.  I spend half an hour trying to obtain information from police and public regarding the route of the procession, and finally climbed up a watch tower which was set at Harsiddhi Chowk for CRPF for a bird’s eye view.  Soon, there was a flurry of activity and the head of the commune was seen being escorted past the crossing amid heavy police protection.  The rally had been disbanded.  It was an exciting beginning of the 2016 Kumbh mela experience for me.

 

 

Simhasth Kumbh Mela- 2016- Highlights and Headlines

The 2016 Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Ujjain has come to an end on May 22, 2016.  The month-long event has been momentous on various counts.  But the event means different things to different people.  One possible mirror that is expected to capture and reflect the mood and reaction of this mega event is the media.  So I present a collage of media coverage of the event.   

 

The headlines and excerpts have been taken from the local newspapers of Madhya Pradesh, published between April 20 to 24, 2016.  The opening day and main event of first Shahi Snan (Royal Bath of saints) was April 22.  The translations have been done by me.  I followed Ujjain edition of four Hindi dailies- Patrika (www.mp.patrika.com), Dainik Bhaskar (www.dainikbhaskar.com), Nai Duniya (www.naidunia.com), Dainik Avantika (www.awantika.com) and one local English daily- Free Press (www.freepressjournal.com).  These papers were awash with pictures and news reports of various aspects of the mega event.  The national newspapers have not captured a fraction of the flavor conveyed in these vernacular and local dailies.  For example, Times of India published a total of about 6 reports, mostly cursory and half of them about a hailstorm killing 6 people in the Mela grounds.  But the mood in the local papers was refreshingly celebratory and positive; as compared to the guarded curiosity, cursory reporting, elitist tokenism and superficial criticism of most of the national English dailies.  It just exemplified the gulf of difference between the silent faithful core and the vocal rebellious fringe of this country.  I immensely enjoyed reading the local papers and carried the copies back home for a better introspection.  Here are some of the news which made headlines locally- I wonder how much of this I would have known if I did not go to Ujjain.  Thank God I did.

 

But before the news clips, a summary of highlights of the event and of opening day and first Shahi Snan of Simhasth Kumbh Mela 2016:

 

• Estimated expense over two years of creating the infrastructure for hosting Simhasth Kumbh Mela in Ujjain- Rs. 3,650 crore ($545 million).
• Mela zone covers 4,000 hectares.  The area divided in to 6 zones, 22 sectors, 7 satellite towns.  16 bathing ghats spread over 8.5 km- enough space for 5.8 million people to bathe in a day.  Water was pumped from Narmada river to Kshipra river at flow rate of 5 cubic meters per second at an estimated cost of $11,000 per day.  A 19 km pipeline was laid.  Water quality prominently displayed in electronic board in Ram Ghat.  34,000 toilets constructed.   
• 70 million pilgrims estimated to have visited Ujjain over the 30 days of the event.  This includes 30,000 foreigners.  About 1 million pilgrims came on the opening day- much less than anticipated.  The draught and intense heat wave affecting several states is cited as the reason.  Pilgrims from Gujarat, Maharastra, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh were conspicuous by their absence.  Many of the pilgrims were from Punjab, Haryana and West Bengal. 
• 50,000 pilgrims visit the temple of Mahakaal- the reigning deity of Ujjain.  On a regular day, about 2,000 pilgrims visit the temple.   
• 60 temporary police stations set up in Mela zone, with numbers published in newspaper. 25,000 policemen posted to maintain law and order.  Another 24,000 civic police and volunteers on duty as well.  54 watch towers of height 7-35 feet.  106 Lost-and-Found centers.  All kinds of helpline numbers and senior officer’s contact numbers advertised. 
• Bathing ghats monitored through 670 close circuit television cameras in 134 locations with feed being beamed on 16 screens (each covering 32 locations) in police control room.  Face reading camera in 14 locations.  14 cameras placed to read license plates.
• 50 layer GIS map prepared to facilitate monitoring of the Mela from the control room.    
• 80 fire engines placed in 25 locations with 1150 firemen on duty. 
• 1550 public transport arranged.  100 special trains arranged.  Arrangement made for 118,000 vehicles to be parked every day.
• Congregation of about 200,000 saints. 
• Free food cooked in 4000 locations to feed 100,000 people every day.  12,000 gas cylinders arranged daily.
• 35 ft tall and 30 ft wide bronze colored statue of Vikramaditya- the legendary ruler of Ujjain seated in his famous throne unveiled on opening day- the creation and beautification cost Rs. 67 million ($1 million).
• Full prohibition on alcohol in the city for the full month of the mela. 
• Alongside the religious gathering, a month-long Simhasth Kala Utsav was organized to showcase folk and religious dance/play/songs/music in six different venues in the mela zone involving hundreds of artists/musicians from all states of India.  Also, Global Yoga Convention, Yoga Seminar, International Spiritual Film Festival and 3-day Vaicharik Mahakumbh (Kumbh Mela of Philosophy/thoughts) were organized.     
• 350 scientists and engineers from Department of Electronics & IT, Government of India conducted a research project on 30-minute-early warning system for stampede risk- they collected information using GPS trackers and wearable devices.  Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research is a collaborator.      

For those who missed the event this year, the next Simhasth Kumbh Mela will be held in Ujjain from April 9 – May 8, 2028.  And those who are busy during that time frame, they may consider the next one- April 27 – May 25, 2040. J       

 

April 21 & 22 (pre-event reporting)

 

 

• Desh duniya ko lubha rahi hain Avantika Puri- Simhasth Ujjain mein milegi aloukik anand ki anubhuti

[The country and world is being tantalized by the city of Avantika (ancient name of Ujjain)- divine pleasure will be experienced in the Simhasth event in Ujjain]

 

• 427 saal ke baad shubh yog ki tribeni

[Astrologers say that after April 30, 1589, there has never been such confluence of auspicious factors and astronomical alignments for 427 years until April 22, 2016; it will increase attachment towards religious and cultural values]

 

• Ab sikshak sadak par baithkar sraddaluo ka sahyog karenge- 1250 sikshako ko help desk aur takniki chattro ke sath lagaya mukhya margo par

[1250 teachers will assist pilgrims on the road- they will man helpdesks on various main roads- they will be assisted by two technical college students armed with laptops at each location]

 

• Jab Sant’o ne diya ek dusre ko aashirvaad- Seth Muralidhar Mansinghka Yatri Niwas me hua adbhut milan

[When saints blessed each other…]

 

• Dutt Akhara Ghat- sabse pehle Juna Akhara nahayega- Simhasth 2004 ke kram anusaar hoga Shahi Snan, Ram Ghat par sabse pehle Agni Akhara snan karega

[Saints of Juna commune will take the first bath in Dutt Akhara Ghat; the sequence of Simhasth 2004 will be followed for the royal bath of the saint communes; Agni commune will take first bath in Ram Ghat]

 

• Shahi Snan ke liye aney lagey sraddhalu- police ke nakebandi se 7-8 km paidal chalne ko ho rahe majbur

[Pilgrims have started coming for the royal bath- due to police barricade they have had to walk 7-8 kms]

 

• Bara Udasin ne bikhera jalwa, Agni Akhara bhi nikla shan se

[Bara Udasin commune of saints take out 2-km long procession in morning to show off the grandeur; Agni commune too takes out grand procession in the evening with 20 tractors, palki, band, horse, camels]

 

• Amrit snan ke liye raat 12 baje khali karaye ghat

[6 hours before first royal bath of saints, police administration clears out general pilgrims from the bathing ghats at midnight]

 

• Kinnar Akhare ko jan manyata- Kinnar Akhare ki Simhasth ki pehli peshwai dekhne umri bhir, deshprem aur paryabaran sangrakshan ka diya sandesha- dil khol ke di duyae, bante note

[The commune of Bisexuals-Transexuals take out their first ever procession in Simhasth; crowd swells to watch; message of patriotism and ecological protection conveyed; generously bless the crowd and distribute money]

 

• Shahar mein ek mah tak sharab bikri par pratibandh

[Ban on liquor sale for one month in the city]

 

• Har tin minit mein Indore ke liye bus’e- 40 rupiya hoga kiraya

[Bus service to and from Indore every three minutes (Indore is 55 km from Ujjain- nearest airport and major rail head)- Rs. 40 will be the fare]

 

• 10 hazar shraddhaluo ne ki Bhasmaarti ke darshan- aam din mein 2 hazar hotein hein shamil

[10,000 faithful watch the ceremony of ablution of Lord Shiva (Mahakaal- reigning deity of Ujjain) with crematorium ash- two thousand come to watch on regular days]

 

• Hanuman Jayanti aaj- Palki mein nagar bhraman karenge Bal Hanuman

[Today is Hanuman Jayanti- the deity of baby Hanuman will be taken around town in palanquin]

 

• Nau ratno ke sath biraje Samrat

[35 feet tall and 30 ft wide statue of Ujjain’s brave and famous emperor Vikramaditya dedicated to citizens; his statue is accompanied by statues of nine “gems” of his court including poet Kalidasa; the beautification cost Rs. 67.3 million]

 

• Shahi Snan ke sath prarambh hogi khuni naga’o ki diksha

[The process of indoctrinating new ascetics in to Naga commune will begin with 108 dips in Kshipra River…those who are indoctrinated in Ujjain are termed Khuni Nagas…before this they have to serve their Guru for three years and abide by all discipline of the commune…after indoctrination they have to perform their family’s and their own last rites according to Hindu custom]

 

 

April 23 & 24 (post-event reporting)

 

 

• Amrit Avgahan: 10 lakh se jyada logo ne kamaya punya- Kshipra ke zero bacteria jal mein Simhasth ka pehla shahi snan

[Over 1 million people take holy dip in Kshipra river’s zero bacteria water in the first royal bath of Simhasth Kumbh]

 

• Anupam, Adwitiya, Abishwaraniya- saadi ke dusre Simhasth Mahakumbh ke pehle shahi snan mein chalka bhakti ka amrit

[Beautiful, unprecedented, unforgettable- in the second Simhasth Kumbh mela of the century, nectar of devotion brimmed over in the first shahi snan]

 

• Akhado ne dikhaya shahi tej

[The saint communes showed royal power]

 

• Simhasth mein koi VIP nahin, CM se hua shuruat

[There are no VIPs in Simhasth, starts with Chief Minister- he went around without read beacon and follow car]

 

• 50 gm chandi sikke se 13 akharo ka dhwaj pujan

[The head of all 13 saint communes were presented with a 50 gm silver coin on behalf of the Mela organizer.  As per tradition, the flag of the commune is worshipped by the  administration.  The coin has the Simhasth logo on one side and photo of reigning deity Mahakaleshwar on the other side]  

 

• Sant’o ne dharm ko banaya karobaar- Ma Adi Shakti/Bakwas na karein mahila Mahamandaleshwar- Computer Baba

[Controversy: Leading woman saint of Niranjani Akhara says many of the male saints have made a business out of religion- women saints should stay away from it.  She felt that actions of Asaram Bapu and Nityanand were not saintly.]

 

• Ek dubki ke liye chalaya 10-12 km

[Due to police barricades, pilgrims had to walk 10-12 km]

 

• Ek mah ki sharab shahi snan par hi pi gaye Kaal Bhairav

[The Kaal Bhairav deity, to whom wine is offered as prayer offering, drank one month’s quota of wine in a day, due to visit of 30,000 pilgrims as compared to an average of 1,000 pilgrims each day]  

 

• Pehle Shahi snan mein 100 log lapata, 20 hi milein

[On the first day, 100 people lost, only 20 found]

 

• Kadi suraksha ke bawjud sahar mein kar gayi jeb

[Despite tight security, instances of pickpocket in city]

 

• Murde ki bhasm arpit nahin kar sakte toh naam gobar bhasm aarti kar dein

[Kapalik Bhairavananda Saraswati, receipient of President’s Award/Holland’s Global Peace Award, protested against the recent practice of offering ash made from cow dung (as opposed to ash from crematorium) to Mahakaal, saying it is anti-Tantrik and unreligious]

 

• Hitech control room se ghat o par nazar

[Over two dozen officers kept watch on the bathing ghats through 16 screens (each covering 32 locations) using feed from 670 cctv cameras]

 

• Shahi snan se shuru huya yagna, chalega 108 saal

[In Maun Tirtha Ashram on Ganga Ghat, a mega fire prayer ritual started on the shahi snan day, which will run for 108 years]

 

• Kadoro ka business chor kar lagein hain sewa mein

[Karan Mittal- owner of Mital Corp, industrialist Mangilal Ishwar, hospital owner Krishnakant Dhoot- are few among several who have devoted themselves to serving the pilgrims- with quotes such as “got the opportunity after 12 years”, “nothing is bigger than serving the Guru”, and “serving pilgrims give peace”]

 

• Pashupatinath se Mahakaal pahuche Shakti ka jatha

[delegation of woman saints from Nepal traveled from Pashupatinath Temple to Juna Akhara for Simhasth]

 

• Sant o ne uthayi Pradesh mein sharab bandi ki awaz

[In context of Ujjain being declared dry from the full month of Simhasth Mela, the saints have raised the demand of permanent prohibition of alcohol in the state]

 

• Height of penance- Avdhoot Radhikanand performs “Surya Sadhna” for 9 hrs under scorching heat [the saint worships sun under sizzling heat from January-June and performs Varun Sadhna from October-December sitting in ice cold water]

 

• Recitation of Vedic hymns marks beginning of Simhastha Kala Utsav