Ganga Sagar- Timorous Traveler's travel tips!

2018 Update:






I had written a lot about travel logistics from my last trip to Gangasagar.  This year, it is simple.  Posting a brilliant website, but hidden as a well-kept secret.  It is almost timeless- very little changes year to year.  A great resource for travelers researching on how to go to this momentous event.  Here it is:  http://74.50.58.66/gangasagar/help/archive/2.pdf






And here is a narrative from my trip few years ago:



I spent an enormous amount of time researching the travel logistics for the Ganga Sagar trip. Very little authentic information is available. Officially, the place is 124 km from Kolkata. But anecdotal travel time estimates varied between 4-10 hours. This is because it is not one continuous journey. The first phase of the journey is to the ferry point. One can avail the bus services of State Transport Corporations or private transport operators from Howrah Station / Outram ghat / Esplanade, Kolkata to reach either Lot No. 8 or Namkhana. The distance from Kolkata to Lot No. 8 is 94 KM and the distance from Kolkata to Namkhana is 108 KM by road.


The government bus service to Lot 8 is best- charges Rs. 60; seating assured; travels non-stop till destination. More than 500 buses are deployed to carry pilgrims. One can also avail the local train services from Sealdah south section by availing down Kakdwip Local/Namkhana Local to alight (i) at Kakdwip railway station and then proceed to Lot No.8 by rickshaw van or by walking. The distance from Kakdwip railway station to Lot No.8 is 6 KM by road or (ii) at Namkhana railway station and then avail the Launches from the nearby Jetties. Then you have to board a ferry, which takes about 45 minutes to cross the vast Muriganga river. The vessels from Harwood point are larger and more frequent. From Namkhana, the wooden launches ply. Fare is Rs. 40-60. Private vehicles are not allowed to cross the ferry from Jan 2 till Jan 17, except without specific prior permission. At other times, the rate for crossing a car is Rs. 260. Except from Namkhana and Harwood Point, there is also a direct ferry service available to Kachuberia from Haldia; but such services are suspended at the time of Mela. The ferry takes you to the northern end of this Sri-Lanka shaped island, to a place named Kachuberia. From there, the Ganga Sagar, which is at the extreme southern end of the island, is 30 km. At normal times, this can take about 45 min. Bus fare is Rs. 30 and a reserved taxi/car will cost around Rs. 500. It is tempting to add up these estimated travel times and arrive at a total of about 4-5 hours. It doesn’t work that way during the days of the Mela- I realized the hard way.

WHERE TO STAY:
NOTE: All govt and private accommodations in Kakdwip, Namkhana and Sagar Blocks are taken over by Govt and comes under S24P DM from Jan 7 till Jan 16. So none are available unless you have serious contacts in the right places. At other times, these are the standard accomodations available:

Larica Sagar Vihar (a 1*star Hotel)
South 24 Parganas, Gangasagar, West Bengal 743606
Phone: (3210) – 240226-227 / +91 32 4022 6227 Fax 22404358
Booking: 74 Park Street, Kolkata -700017 Phone 22403583 / 22404537

State Youth Hostel- Double bed room with attached bath: Rs. 100/day. Check in time: 12 noon. (Booking: Directorate of Youth Services, 32/1, B.B.D. Bag (South), Kol-1. Ph: +91-33 2248 0626)

Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Ramkrishna Mission, Shankaracharya Ashram; couple of other ashrams.

Howrah Welfare Trust at Radhanagar- http://www.gangasagarmela.com

PWD, PHED, Irrigation, Zila Parishad Bungalows; Circuit House.

It is also useful to have the tide information- the frequency of vessels during low tide is extremely low. So, if you are a smart traveler, note the following:

TIDE INFORMATION:
Date: 13th January 2012
Time (in Hrs.)- Height (in m.)
0.06 - 5.06
6.57 - 0.82
12.33 - 4.8
18.58 - 0.95

Date: 14th January 2012

Time (in Hrs.) Height (in m.)
0.45 - 4.95
7.33 - 0.86
13.14 - 4.73
19.37 - 1.11

Date: 15th January 2012
Time (in Hrs.) Height (in m.)
1.26 - 4.78
8.09 - 0.96
13.56 - 4.6
20.20 - 1.33

Also it is important to carry some important phone numbers- here's my partial list; after taking out the cellphone numbers to protect the privacy of the senior officials (there is no assurance that the same person will be on duty next year- so landline numbers are better for future use):

Call Center Toll Free Number: 1-800-3453220

Civil Administration:
• A.D.M. (L.R.) & Point-in-Charge, Namkhana:
• A.D.M. (Dev.) & Point-in-Charge, Kachuberia:
• A.D.M. (L.A.) & Point-in-Charge, Lot No. 8:
• Camp office of ADM(G) and Mela Officer (Circuit House Annexe 1st floor) (Hot Line) 03210-240803
• Liaison Officer, Ganga Sagar Mela (Mela Office) 03210-240804
• Control Room at Mela Office (Hot Line) 03210-240805

Police Administration:
• Superintendent of Police: Mela Tent: 03210-240826
• S.D.P.O., Kakdwip:
• Main Police Control at Sagar 03210-240824
• Main Police Control at Sagar 03210-240825
• Transport camp near Mela Office 03210-240806
• Bharat Sevashram Sangha with one parallel line at bus stand at Sagar: 03210-240811; 2440-5178 (Kolkata)
• CMOH:(Camp: 03210-240813)
• DEPUTY CMOH-II:
• Hospital at Mela ground: 03210-240814

Armed with all this pieces of wisdom, I finally embarked on my trip to Ganga Sagar 2012!

2015 UPDATE (information courtesy Government advertisement for Ganga Sagar Mela 2015)

Ganga Sagar on Makar Sankranti- confluence of astronomy, mythology, religiosity and sociology

2018 update coming!


2012 narrative-


For a long time, I have been seeing congregation of sadhu’s and pilgrims at Esplanade and Babughat in Kolkata in the first half of January. They come in large groups, often in a bus marked with a number plate of other state- Gujarat, Maharastra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are the most visible ones. I heard that they are heading towards “Ganga Sagar”. So in my third year of travel to socio-religious congregations in different parts of India, I decided to check out Ganga Sagar Mela 2012.

My trip to the fair was an eventful one. I started researching the place and the event about a month before the trip. The first thing that I realized after investing considerable amount of time was that hope of finding a proper hotel-type accommodation is pretty futile. The island has less than 20 proper accommodations, divided between tourist lodges (such as Larica Sagar Vihar), Government accommodation (such as Public Health Engineering Department) and religious organizations (such as Bharat Sevasram Sangha). Now all available rooms, except in religious organizations, are taken up by the South 24 Pargana District Administration a week in advance of the Fair. I decided to go ahead and book a camp accommodation of Bharat Sevasram Sangha from its office in Ballygunge. They charge Rs. 50 per person per day, including food. The organization has a strong presence in the island, and plays a significant role in organizing the event in tandem with the administration. Next thing to figure out was how to reach. For details regarding travel information, read my supporting blog. I also took the trouble of researching the river tide information, to plan for the best time to arrive at the ferry boarding point. Very few vessels ply on the river during the low tide. The draft of the river during peak of high tide is about 5 meter, and the timings are around 12 midnight and 1 pm in the afternoon. The low tide draft is around 1 meter only, and occurs at around 7 am and 7 pm.

Armed with all this information, plus the contact numbers of a number of senior district officials of South 24 Pargana district who were on duty at various important locations of the route and fair site, I started by travel on Saturday, January 14 at 6 am. I was hoping to reach the venue by 2 pm. I was so wrong! My onward journey took 12 hours and return took 9 hours. I boarded the CSTC bus from Esplanade at 7:30 am and it was cruising along merrily till we crossed Diamond Harbor in good time and reached Kulpi in about 3 hours. Then the bus was pulled aside to a holding bay, in company of few dozen other buses. We were told that there is no place for additional buses at Lot 8, so we need to wait until the congestion cleared. It took about 2 hours for us to roll again. Finally reached close to the Harwood Point/Lot 8 approach road, which was choked with hundreds of buses. I decided to get down from the bus and start walking for the remaining 500 meters. Following the stream of people, I reached Lot 8, where the volunteers and locals started giving contradicting direction of which way to go. The were no signs to direct people to the different queues at the 3-4 boarding points. I found myself in a queue that was caged with bamboo barricade along the sidewalk of a motor road that led to the ferry point. Several big groups were walking past us along the wide road, while our queue was snaking along at snail’s pace with no destination in sight. I was advised by some people who have been here before that it is better to stay in this line rather than cross over to the main road, as police will eventually stop them and turn them back o the end of the queue. That eventually turned out to be a wrong piece of information, as the main road was actually leading to a point where a large vessel carrier was deployed to ferry pilgrims, in groups of 3000 passengers or more at one time. I stuck to the painstaking progress of the narrow line. I diverted my attention to the missing person’s announcements, where they allowed everyone to make their own fervent appeals to “Gangu ki Maaa” and “Maruti Gupta” to reunite with them at the Bajrang Parishad camp. It was evident from the array of names that pretty much the northern India was represented in the crowd. I also managed an interesting video of pilgrim’s progress in my handycam- sat down along the barricade and recorded the brisk feet of the people heading for their destination.




The crowd density started becoming pretty intense as the queue approached the ferry point- everyone was at their nerve’s end with the 3-4 hour wait in the queue. The administration tried doing crowd control by allowing a small group of people at a time past every barricade- that however made things worse in my opinion. The only saving grace was the crowd themselves were remarkably disciplined and there were sane voices within the group telling people no to push and shove. It was intriguing to see a big group of pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh being escorted by a Communist Party leader carrying a party flag. The state elections are round the corner- I reminded myself. It was a great relief to board the ferry finally. The Muriganga river looked vast and beautiful. I was finally being rewarded for my effort! I got some interesting faces and colorful attires on board the ferry and clicked some satisfying pictures. After a brief respite, the struggle began immediately after reaching the other end at Kachuberia. The buses were extremely crowded and pre-paid taxi stand was empty. Finally, as expected, a helpful-looking person came up and offered to provide a car for Rs. 500, to be shared with a group. The drive up to Ganga Sagar was quite charming. The island is very green, very rural with no visual irritants like billboards to interrupt the view. A lone strip of road leads from one end to another. Within half-hour, we were at the Mela Ground. Bharat Sevasram allocated the camp cottage quickly, complete with entry permits and food card. Then a volunteer led to the cottage. I have been trying to figure out how these camp cottages are on the internet, without much success. Here I found that these are made of local “Hogla leaf”, supported on a bamboo structure, a tarpaulin covered roof and complete with a flexible door which looks like a thick mat. The structure is quite thoughtful, as it is fully weather-proof and meets the need of privacy and shelter to a large extent. There are rows of such cottages in a large camp ground, which also has a large and clean common toilet facility.

Not wanting to waste any time by resting, I started almost immediately to check out the mela. It was around 8 pm then, and the place was buzzing with pilgrims. Many kinds of products were being sold in the fair, but some of the merchandise seemed to be standard commercial stuff that you would see in any fair- garments, women’s fashion accessories, children’s toys and food products. The really local ones seemed to be the wood and cane crafts, gamcha, shell art, conch shells and Hookahs (Indian style smoking pipes). The last one being my object of fascination, I stopped to buy one. It is not easy to find these traditional Hookahs made of coconut shell and wooden stem anymore. I knew that it is still somewhat in vogue in this district. After the price was negotiated, the husband-wife team worked in tandem to finish my product to perfection, and even add a bit of customization which I requested.

Further down towards the shore, I reached the precincts of the famous Kapil Muni Temple. Because there was no crowd at that hour, I could walk straight up to the temple and have a good view and even opportunity to take clear photographs. 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. For the mythology surrounding Kapil Muni and Ganga Sagar, and the importance of Makar Sankranti day on which Ganga Sagar Mela is held, read my supporting blog on the subject. Near the temple, is the Akhara of the Naga sadhus (ascetics). They were naked as per their custom, smeared in ash, had long matted locks and were seated in separate enclosures on a raised platform. The Nagas are a subgroup of the larger Dasnami order which traces its origin to Shankaracharya in the eighth or ninth century A.D. The Dasnami Nagas are militant ascetics, worship Lord Shiva and imitate His lifestyle. During the period of Mughal rule in India, Nagas actively recruited across all castes and fought to defend Hindu shrines and monastic institutions from aggression and destruction. For the Nagas, fighting became an integral feature of their identity. Nagas practice physical penance so as to make themselves physically fit and immune to pain. In the post-independence era Naga sannyasis further translated their martial art into less aggressive terms. They now practice wrestling, gymnastics, and other forms of physical exercise. The Juna Akhara is the largest and is based in Benaras. There is a defunct wrestling akhara on Manikarnika Ghat called Naga Akhara. The Juna Akhara always has the first right in the Kumbh Mela to take the Shahi Snan. In Ganga Sagar however, the Naga sadhu’s were absolutely at peace. The devotees thronged near them and they generously blessed everyone with what looked like a soft broom mounted on a wooden pole. It was intriguing to see that men and women were oblivious to their nudity and were not embarrassed to approach them up close to seek their blessing. I talked to one of them briefly. He was happy to chat, and told me that he travels and mediates in the upper reaches of the Himalayas for half of the year till November, then comes to the Gangetic plain to attend the Kumbha Mela or similar other religious congregations in January-February, and then travels for some months to Nepal where his Guru stays. The conversation just started to flow when an enthusiastic traveler group butted in with request for a photo-opportunity with him.

I decided it is time for dinner and some rest before coming back to the sea shore during the auspicious moment of Mahendra Jog of 3:45 am. I opted for a simple vegetarian meal at one of the local-run eateries. The happy ladies of one family were working hand-in-hand to prepare the bread, cook the food and serve the guests. It was evidently one happy day in their lives, when the sale is brisk and the atmosphere very different from the slow and sleepy life on this remote island. My hand sanitizer drew some amused looks, but soon the “foreignness” got drowned in conversations regarding food and the fair. I retired in to my camp cottage to rest for a few hours.

The Bharat Sevasram Complex, which is spread over a huge area, was abuzz with activity. Over thousand pilgrims were staying here. Monks and volunteers were busy ensuring the administration runs smoothly. Food was being served to a few thousand people. Religious discourse was being held in a large courtyard in the center of the Ashram. Hundreds of devotees gathered in this place, some listening with rapt attention and some curling up in blanket to catch some sleep before the early morning ritual. I walked past them to reach my cottage, not before having to flash my resident card at two security check-points. The selfless service and the cold efficiency of the administrative arrangement touched my heart. It almost seemed that in my fence-sitter status of being neither a pilgrim nor a volunteer/administrator, I am taking advantage of their devotion to the cause without contributing anything. The small charge that I paid for the cottage and food (Rs. 50 = $ 1) did not even cover the cost of food that they were serving. This is something that needs more introspection. “We” must be more relevant, respectful and supportive of such initiatives undertaken by organizations such as Bharat Sevasram Sangha to support the expression of faith of millions. It was an experience to sleep on the hay bed (I had a bed sheet to lay over it, and my air pillow) and get used to life without concrete walls. Every word spoken in the adjacent cottages, even in hushed tones, seemed to be transmitted without any loss of decibel to me. The sound of footsteps seemed to head straight towards me! And the 5-foot partition wall with the adjoining cottages left about a foot open at the top- a new experience of shared existence too. Nonetheless, I fell asleep and woke up after a few hours when it started getting busy outside. It was around 3 am. I readied myself for the morning chill, slung my camera and handycam and started off for the beach to capture the experience of Ganga Sagar snan at Mahendra Jog starting at 3:36 am. I had researched that the most auspicious timings were 3:36 – 4:19 am, then when Shankranti sets in at 6:14 am, and then two Amrita Jogs, between 7:05-9:13 am and 12:36-2:54 pm on January 15 (Sunday).

The short walk to the sea beach through the fair was chilly and charming. Bharat Sevasram was already abuzz with activity. People wrapped in blankets were either sleeping all around, or were staring to walk towards the confluence. The road was well-lit. Beggars were getting ready for their most important day of the year. Shops at the fair were open. The various night shelters along the way, set up by various NGOs, religious organizations and district administration was coming alive too. The soft sand of the fare ground soon gave way to hard, clayey sand of the Ganga Sagar shore. It was a vast, open area with the water line quite some distance away. The waves were placid. The entire area was well lit, with a private company (Aksa) providing additional lighting using an illuminated light tower powered by a small generator. The priests were ready to help pilgrims who would seek help with the rituals. One intriguing ritual that is opted by some of the devoted pilgrims is the symbolic crossing of Vaitarani River, holding the tail of a cow. This river, according to the Garuda Purana and various other Hindu religious texts, lies between the earth and the infernal world (hell), the realm of Yama- Hindu god of death. While the pure souls see it filled with pure water and those with good “karma” do not even have to cross this river to reach the doorstep of Yamalok (abode of Yama), the sinners have to cross this river and see it filled with blood and all kinds of danger. A sinner can hope to cross the river safely by doing some noble deeds such as donating a cow, food or wealth. He can also cross the river holding his spiritual Guru's hand. So, in Ganga Sagar Mela, some priests are seen with a calf in tow. A person hoping to get rid of his sin will offer prayers as suggested by the priest, then hold the tail of the cow and walk a few steps- symbolizing safe passage across the dreadful river. In the light of the night, I scanned the waterfront for signs of devotion. A few thousand brave souls were seen to overcome their mortal fear of catching pneumonia and venture in to the icy water at that hour. Several more people were focused on offering prayers at the shore. The simple prayer ritual was to light a small lamp and some incense sticks in the sand, along with some fruits and flowers. I noted one Naga Sadhu taking his bath- his lean figure towering over the water and creating an impressive silhouette. Several family groups could also be seen. A young, urban woman was seen waiting for a few minutes in waist-deep water before overcoming her hesitation and taking the dip before rushing back to the shore, shivering and cold to her bones.




My camera was inadequate for good night shots, so after a while I returned to my camp to complete the morning chores before returning to the waterfront around 6 am again. By this time, many more people had congregated- the crowd must have swelled to over a lakh now. Because the shore was long and wide, the crowd was well spread out and everything seemed very peaceful and orderly. The early morning daylight was perfect for photography- I started happily clicking pictures. I concentrated on two types- a wide-angle view of the events around me, and close-ups of interesting characters or situations. The mix worked out quite well. The moment of sunrise was memorable- the crimson skyline merged with the ocean, which also curved in to the shore in the east. So I could capture the sunrise, water and people all together in the same frame.

Coast Guard and Bharat Sevasram volunteers were relentless in their assignment of maintaining order. I saw the volunteers grabbing a few young boys and village women and landing a few blows of their baton on them. It turned out that they were loitering in the water and were a potential law and order problem. It is a ritual for some to throw away old clothes at the time of taking the bath- symbolizing a fresh new beginning. People also throw coins in the water, signifying donation of wealth. I later saw these boys trawling the sand beneath the water with a wire mesh- an innovative contraption to catch any coin which will be settled in the shallow bathing zone. A few East Asian looking tourists were conspicuous by their presence. They were evidently here for the experience and photography. A group of bath-ready Bengali pilgrims requested them for a photo-opportunity, which one of them happily obliged.




A newly-wed Bengali couple made for an amusing spectacle. The man was dressed in corduroy suit, his head wrapped tightly in a muffler and then capped with a woolen cap. He was posing like a peacock for the photographic pleasure of his wife, who herself adorned shoes with heels and a cap with an unusual peak that almost seemed to conceal a lunch box inside. A favorite "find-me-here" marker for the village groups seemed to be a pole with something unusual tied to the top. My favorite was one that a frail village woman was carrying, even in to the water- a packet containing three colorful plastic balls. This had to be the grass-root equivalent of a GPS system.

The men in the village groups played the role of dutiful custodian- holding the clothes and belongings of the womenfolk who went about offering prayers and then going in for their dip in the ocean, and also helping women dry their sarees. The headgear and expression of some men were particularly attractive to my camera.

The waves of humanity kept coming, some in processions grouped under banner of some religious organizations. Having captured the sights and sounds of Ganga Sagar to my heart content, I looked at the watch and decided it is time to leave in order to avoid getting caught up with this momentous crowd trying to return to the mainland soon. I started walking back. The road was now lined with beggars- several of them handicapped in some way or another. But what was disgusting is several of them were evidently with make-up, trying to garner sympathy by showing a gaping wound or a horrible infection. To make it doubly heart-breaking, they were crying relentlessly to catch attention. I had made up my mind to donate a certain amount of money and was carrying the pre-determined mount in a wad of currency notes. I managed to give to some legitimate-looking people in theearly morning, but during the return trip it seemed a hopeless task trying to identify the legitimate from the fakes. I rationalized with myself that my burden of sin was standing between me and the intended good deed. After the core area, I gave some money to an ascetic, who was taken by surprise at the unsolicited show of philanthropy but recovered to bless me profusely before I slipped out sheepishly from under his palm. It was time to pack up and leave. I thanked and conveyed my appreciation to the Maharaj at the Bharat Sevasram reception for the kindness and selflessness of the Institution, which made it possible for me and thousands of others to be part of Ganga Sagar.

The feel-good of the morning however evaporated completely when after a short walk to the bus stand I found that already tens of thousands of people were vying already for a transportation option to the ferry point 30 km away. The number of buses was horribly inadequate. The police barricade intended for crowd control made it worse, and the nerves of the volunteers and police were frayed after sleepless two days and this last major crowd situation staring them at their face. There were no pre-paid taxi in sight as well. Gauging the situation and fearing a stampede-like situation, I managed to shout my way out of the barricade and convinced a local hospital ambulance to give me a lift halfway to the ferry point. The kindness of the driver did not go unrewarded, but he richly deserved it as he saved me from a disastrous situation and my hookah and shell-art purchases from being crushed to bits. From where he dropped me, a footboard ride in a local bus took me to the ferry point. There again, had to navigate a situation when the crowd was seething in anger and agony at the frustrating wait for the gates to be opened which would allow them to board the next ferry. My secret back-up numbers for emergency call helped again- a call to the ADM and in charge of the ferry point helped draw the attention to the crowd situation and soon enough I found myself inside a huge LCD vessel, which is normally used to ferry buses and trucks across the river. After soaking up a crowd of few thousand of the in its belly, the giant vessel took us to the mainland. When it finally anchored to the Lot 8 jetty in Kakdwip, whoops of joy went up from among the passengers. The rest of the journey to Kolkata was uneventful. The body and mind seemed to have finally realized that they were put to severe stress in the last 36 hours, so they tried to shut down even in the bus. Only a warm shower and the relief of being back at home revived the mind later in the evening- body would take a day more to recover.

It was a momentous experience on several counts.

First of course was to be part of such a momentous occasion of mass expression of faith. It was nothing short of the month-long Kumbh Mela compressed to within a day. The positivity and the charged atmosphere of the event left a lasting impression. Second was the realization that human endurance is of a much higher order than we the urban bred and privileged population can fathom. The poor and often illiterate villagers had traveled for days in utterly crowded transport, carrying their belonging on their head, with only a vague idea of how to reach and no assurance of food and drink along the way. They completed the journey with a smile and chanting “Gaga Maiya ki Jai” all the way. Third, I felt enriched with the opportunity to interact with people from so many different parts of the country, each from a different social/religious/economic class. I learnt a few lessons of patience, endurance, coexistence, philosophy and devotion in this trip. Finally, the entire journey was like a survival skill workshop. I had to stay alert 24X7 to figure out my way in and out, to avoid being stranded or stampeded upon, to decide when to grin and bear and when to raise my voice and shout. It certainly made me a little more of a man. And confirmed again what I have been suspecting in the recent years ever since I started my tour of socio-religious events in different parts of India: a very large piece of ancient Bharat lies embedded and engrained within the modern and shining India.

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.

Experiencing the Biggest Act of Faith in the Universe- Kumbh Mela 2013

It was a momentous occasion to be a part of the largest ever human gathering in a single day- a milieu of 30 million people gathered at the confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Sarasvati in the north Indian city of Allahabad on February 10, 2013 on the occasion of the Hindu religious pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela. In perspective, the congregation was equivalent to the ENTIRE population of New York AND London converging at a beach in one day, or ALL the spectators of the 16-day London Olympics gathered together to watch one single event.

The momentum has started building up with my visits to Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2010, Dev Deepavali in Benaras in 2011 and Ganga Sagar in Bengal Delta area in 2012 {separate blogs on each event}. Experiencing Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on the biggest and most auspicious bathing day of Mauni Amavasya on February 10, 2013 was a perfect climax of the crescendo which was building up through these events.

My planning for participation in Allahabad Maha Kumbh Mela started 16 months in advance. Among the seven auspicious bathing dates of this 55-day event, I chose to attend the most important one of Mauni Amavasya. A primary reason was to be able to witness the Shahi Snan (royal procession) of the different sects of Hindu saints, including the mythological Naga ascetics. A casual conversation with a childhood friend regarding the travel plan expanded the travel group to six, in contrast to my customary trips to these places all by myself. I booked hotel room a year in advance, and train tickets were purchased on the opening day 4 months before the journey. A continued contact with a Dandi Swami from the Haridwar trip in 2010 helped secure on-site accommodation for our group, which is absolutely essential for experiencing an event like this. Several planning meetings were held, packing lists were exchanged and event notes shared within the group, before we converged in station on Feb 7th to board the train to Allahabad.

The journey was uneventful, except that the train was late.  We were together in the same coupe and engrossed with ourselves.  After reaching Allahabad, we took rickshaws which took us to the Rahi Ilawart Tourist Bungalow of U.P. Tourism Department The heavily-built rickshaw pullers dumped our bag and bedding behind the seat, supported by the cloth and the frame of the hood; and charged a very low fare.  I couldn’t resist a chuckle comparing them to the rickety, unionized and moody rickshawallahs of Kolkata.  My people experience had already begun!

Next morning of February 9, we started our journey to the camp at 9 am.

The "Dare to be Different Team" at Hotel Ilawart, on way to Mela(missing one, who is behind the camera)

  By then, the stream of pilgrims walking from the station and bus stand to the Mela site had already started, and there was confusion about the point till which we could travel in rickshaw before we begin the mandatory walk.  The rickshaws dropped us after about 3 km at the nearest drop-off point in Sector 1 near the Sangam, and rushed off for the next set of passengers.  This was their once-in-12-year opportunity to make some good money.  We started our walk from this point, full of exuberance and powered by anticipation of what lay ahead.  The trudge along the northern bank of the Yamuna through Mela Sectors 1-5 past the Sangam (confluence point of Ganga and Yamuna rivers) and then crossing the Pontoon Bridge Number 12 over the Ganga in to Sector 9 to our camp was about 5 km and took us about 2 hours with all the different stops along the way.  We realized later that the rickshaws could have taken us through inside roads towards Daraganj.  from where it would have been a 2 km journey to our camp. The return trip through that route was a much shorter walk.


Our host- Sri Sri 1008 Santa Ashram Dandi Swami Maharaj (disciple of Shankaracharya of Jyotishpith Badrikashram) was waiting for us for a long time at the Pontoon Bridge 12. He was happy to see us arrive, and led us to his camp. While walking, he gave us an introduction to the layout of the Sector and the road network which leads to Sangam. The roads laid out in grid pattern and were wide, leveled and had two metal plates of 2 feet width to facilitate movement of cars and pilgrims. The important roads, although temporary, had names such as Nagvasuki Road, Sangam Marg, Harischandra Road, Tulsi Marg and Shankaracharya Marg. The Sector housed the camps of various Ashrams and Mathas (Hindu monasteries). The camps of the various Akharas (camps of the militant ascetics) were mostly located in Sectors 3 & 4.  Mathas and Akharas are religious congregations and institutions instituted by the ancient Hindu religious leader and Vedanta philosopher Adi Shankaracharya of 7th century AD.

Our Maharaj’s camp was one of the 150 camps inside Dandi Swami Nagar set up by the Dandi Swamis (Brahmin ascetics dressed in saffron robes and carrying a symbolic Dandi or bamboo pole representing Lord Vishnu, while themselves being followers of Lord Shiva). It was a simple camp, with three large tents (called VIP tents) with their private toilets set up at the request of us and another group which would follow us. There were seven smaller tents for the ordinary pilgrims who stay for a longer period and practice prescribed rituals in quest of spiritual salvation. Maharaj had his own tent, where he stayed with two of his young students/disciples. These bright young boys carried out all the chores of the camp at the instruction of their Guru- including conducting the daily prayers and cooking for the guests. Maharaj lodged himself in a simple wooden cot under a shamiyana for most of the day, and met all his visitors there. There was a Shivaling built in the middle of the camp, where prayers are performed daily. Power was available in the camp from 7 pm to 7 am. Water flowed in the tap for the entire day. The drainage and sanitation system was functional. Open air bathing and relieving ourselves in makeshift toilets was a new experience.

Dandi Swami community

Sri Sri 1008 Santa Ashram Dandi Swami Maharaj, with his students

 

After settling down at the camp and an excellent cup of tea prepared by the boys, we started out in search of lunch. We soon realized that it was much easier to find free food than to find decent places where we could pay and eat lunch. The only options were the local varieties of snacks and sweets. Famished as we were, we decided that prudence is the better part of valor and went in to a Langar (free food served to pilgrims in a camp) at a huge camp organized by Dadda’Ji. The unique proposition of this opulent camp was that it had a 25-feet high idol of Shiva in the center, and was pursuing a mission to construct 12.5 million clay Shivlings within the Kumbh Mela time span. The langar had about 800 people sitting down on the floor, waiting patiently for food. Some in our group were “weak-kneed” and had a bit of a struggle lodging themselves on the floor. For all of us it was a huge democratic experience to sit down with people from all socio-economic class and eat together. The simple vegetarian food itself was freshly cooked, served hot and with respect.

 

By afternoon, the record congregation was already starting to happen, with hundreds of thousands of people walking in all directions with various levels of contentment and anxiety. It was amazing how many people lost their way or got separated from their group in the Mela. Ever since we stepped in to the riverfront, we had been hearing missing person announcements. Reports indicate that till February 10, over 275,000 people have been reported to be lost during the Kumbh which includes 97,000 on a single day on Mauni Amavasya of February 10. Till February 11, 123,000 people were still “missing”. The Administration had set up an elaborate network of what they called “Bhole Bhatke Shivir” (Lost & Found Centers) which were constantly making announcements in the regional dialect of the lost visitor in an effort to reunite the families. Some anxious members were heard wailing or shouting themselves hoarse in the microphone in their separation anxiety. Getting lost in childhood and getting reunited dramatically later in life in Kumbh Mela has been a favorite theme of Bollywood movies- starting with the 1967 superhit Ram Aur Shyam. This was the script unfolding live in front of us. I met one such soul- a poor Bihari from Darbhanga district in a tea stall, who looked lost and broke down the moment I asked him if everything was okay. He apparently started from home the previous night, had an arduous journey to the Mela site and was frantically looking for a Saint’s camp armed with only his name, the name of the camp and the contact number. Without the coordinates of the camp, he was going around in circles for the last four hours with his heavy bag. I calmed him down, offered him tea and water which he refused, but continued lamenting about his poor fate. I tried calling the number but it went unanswered. Then I accompanied him to our camp and offered to carry his luggage, at which he was overwhelmed but refused to allow me to do so. Our Maharaj, with his vast knowledge of the people and layout of Kumbh Mela, guided the old man to the route he should take to find his destination. But Maharaj did not like the idea when I discreetly gave some money to the old man, saying he did not trust the Biharis and I should not trust them much either. The citizens of UP and Bihar have never been great friends, I was reminded by the incident!

After a brief nap in the afternoon, we set out to explore the Mela within our Sector. The streets were flooded with light- a no mean feat considering this is normally a dark riverbed which remains under water for 8 months of a year. The Administration has laid an incredible 770 km of electricity lines in the 2000-odd hectare area, with 22,000 street light points and 130,000 private connections within the camp premises; pumping in 30 MVA of electricity to the area. The Mela was vibrant in the evening, with typical village-fair merchandise such as vermilions, traditional ornaments and textile items being sold.

Many people were camped in the open, some of them cooking food. The air was rent with devotional songs, chanting of hymns and religious discourses taking place at various camps; broken intermittently by the public announcement of missing persons. The riverfront was starting to get busy, since the auspicious time window had set in and families were gathering to take the holy dip in the river to avoid the big rush in the morning. A traditional ritual is to pray to the river and float a small leaf bowl with flower and a small camphor lamp in it.

Here’s an idea of the enormity of the Mela and the extent of Administrative machinery which works behind it to make this biggest human event on earth a success. The Mela covers an area of approximately 2000 hectares, and is held in the flood plain of the two largest rivers of India- the Ganga and the Yamuna. The Mela site remains submerged under water till early October. So the entire temporary city with 30 MVA of electricity connection; 156 km of road network; 80,000 KL of drinking water supply through 20,000 connections and 550 km of water pipeline; sanitation facility involving 44,000 toilets; primary healthcare facility with 38 hospitals; law and order involving 85 CCTV cameras and 13,000 police personnel in 30 police stations; 18 temporary pontoon bridges over the rivers; special transportation arrangement with 3600 extra buses and 600 special trains operating from four railway stations to transport pilgrims; food and civil supplies through 200,000 temporary ration cards to camp owners and accommodation for several million people is set up like magic within a span of four months. In a country where two spans of bridges sometimes take years to join, it is an incredible feat to create such a temporary city in the middle of nowhere with a total population inflow of 100 million (peak-day resident population of 30 million), including 1 million international tourists over its 55-day existence, flawlessly once every twelve years. Estimated expenditure for this project is $360 million, which is funded from the Government of India’s allocation to the state government. Substantial business is generated for the hotels, tour operators, airlines and railways in the hinterland- an estimate by industry association ASSOCHAM forecasts the collective figure of business transaction at $2 billion. For scholars interested in how communities emerge, adapt, and succeed, the Kumbh proved irresistible. No wonder therefore that an interdisciplinary team of 50 scholars from Harvard University’s South Asia Institute camped themselves at the Kumbh Mela to study and document the processes behind the success of this “Pop-up Mega City”. The research findings are available in their website: http://southasiainstitute.harvard.edu/kumbh-mela/

We had early dinner of simple roti-rice-daal-sabzi cooked by the boys in our camp and went to bed. The auspicious time for the Shahi Snan (royal bath of the saints) next day was known to be at 5:30 am. Anticipating that we will take over an hour to navigate through the crowd and cover the 3-km stretch to the Sangam (confluence) area, me and my friend woke up at 3:30 am and started our journey amidst dense fog and cold weather bordering at 10 degree Celsius. A part of our group, which was either phobic to intense crowding or was focused on the holy dip at the auspicious moment rather than the journalistic experience, stayed back in the camp. We walked unhindered for about 2 km before the crowd pattern started to be jostling and directions confusing. We needed to find out quickly the route of the Shahi procession and position ourselves strategically, without getting choked in a crowd which will not allow us any photographic experience or retreat options. We regretted inability to do a recce of the site the day before. After some quick conversations with policemen and depending on our instinct, we landed up in the stretch of road along which the royal processions were already moving in towards the Sangam. The crowd was separated from the processions by a bamboo barricade. We positioned ourselves and started clicking photographs.

 It was around 5:15 am and dawn was just breaking. The religious heads of different Asharms, Maths and Akharas were moving in the procession accompanied by their followers and key devotees, in ornately and pompously decorated chariots, which were mostly modified on tractors. Chants of “Har Har Mahadeva” from the crowd rent the air every time an important Guruji rode past.

Meanwhile, the crowd pressure started building up behind us and I started to be dislodged from whatever strategic location I could manage by burly people jostling forward from behind us (Rule 1: Thou shalt not get in to argument in UP with unknown people!). I located a small break in the barricade ahead of me, which was possibly meant to be manned by a policeman. In my survival and journalistic instinct, I pushed my way towards and past the breach. Possibly my Allahabadi politician attire, coupled with the camera and confident “move aside” uttering zapped the crowd ahead who made way for me to exit. I immediately called my friend, who grasped this god-sent opportunity to break free and joined me in no time. And now we were inside the procession route, free to follow the processions. It was like being able to shift from the viewer’s gallery to Janpath to join the Republic Day Parade! We strode confidently along the route towards the Sangam, taking close-up shots of the processions as we passed them. Soon we were at a tri-junction, from where one path will take us to the bathing area of the Saints and the other will take us to the return route where millions of viewers, devotees and journalists were waiting for the processions to pass by after the Royal Bath. In our excitement, confusion and ignorance, we took the second route and landed in the vast open stretch of the Sangam near the Press Tower. It was 6:15 am and the morning sun was now rising in the horizon, basking the vast openness of the riverbank in crimson glory; accentuated by the sea of saffron everywhere. The whole landscape looked magical; the vibes of spirituality was like ocean waves, swaying the sea of humanity like leaves in a tempest. The only feeling that comes to mind is “thank God for giving me this moment”. In words of William Blake, it was “holding Infinity in the palm of your hand and Eternity in an hour”.

Shahi Snan Procession Video, Kumbh; May 10, 2013:

Shahi Snan (Royal Bath of the saints) procession at Sangam, May 10, 2013

 

Crowd at Allahabad Sangam- many foreigners came as devotees of various Ashrams

 

Sangam Area, 6:30 am on Mauni Amavasya of Kumbh Mela- May 20, 2013

 

Royal procession at Sangam

 

 

Panorama of the Sangam Area

 

There was a fair amount of crowd inside the Sangam area too, but it consisted of mostly saints, accredited journalists, security personnel and possibly big donors to the Ashrams. Most of them were displaying some kind of card hung from their neck. We were happily taking pictures of the processions, people and even journalists in their various degrees of exuberance. At this point, I noticed a special security cordon of Police Rapid Action Force being formed and the first wave of Naga Sadhus (naked saints- the centerpiece of attraction of the Kumbh Mela) heading towards the procession route. In my instinct, I ran towards the procession, and within minutes I was embedded within the procession crowd in company of a few other desperate local and Southeast Asian journalists. That desperation turned out to be a moment of truth, since I could stay with the procession for the entire journey and take unprecedented close-up shots of the mythical Naga saints.

First sight of the Naga Sadhus (naked militant ascetics) of Niranjani Akhara 

Naga Saint, with traditional war bugle, Dambru and Trident 

It is believed that just to see the elusive saints who seek God through extreme penance is a matter of great blessing. To be a Naga is a process, which takes many years. The First Stage is called the Mahapurush, the second stage the Avdhoot and the final one is called the Naga.  I found them flamboyant, carefree, happy like children. Some of them had a pleasant demeanor, some others were somewhat fearsome and had intense look.

Ecsatasy of Naga Saints- returning from Royal Bath at Sangam- a very special & much awaited moment for them

Militant Naga Saints, with Trident- Nagas follow the life of their worshipped Deity Lord Shiva

Procession of Naga Saints at Kumb Mela, Allahabad.

As I faced the group with my camera, one Sadhu speared my forehead with the ash he was carrying, as a sign of blessing. The next moment, his peer noticed that I was wearing my sandals and growled at me for standing in their way wearing shoes. Knowing that the Nagas are famous for being unpredictable and fierce, I apologized profusely and stepped aside till this line passed by. I followed the group all the way till they entered their camp in Niranjani Akhara. They were soon followed by another wave of more flamboyant Naga sadhus of Juna Akhara. They displayed martial arts and some bone-chilling penance acrobatics at frequent intervals.

Penance acrobatics demonstrated by the Naga Saints- they train their bodies to be free of feeling of pleasure or pain, in readiness of their militant preparedness

Penance acrobatics demonstrated by the Naga Saints- they train their bodies to be free of feeling of pleasure or pain, in readiness of their militant preparedness

Penance acrobatics demonstrated by the Naga Saints- they train their bodies to be free of feeling of pleasure or pain, in readiness of their militant preparedness

To be face to face with thousands of Naga ascetics and to be able to capture their moods, ecstasy and devotion was a momentous occasion which made every bit of physical hardship worth every moment of it. I stayed with the Naga group and followed them as they made their way to their base camp in Sector 4, and also managed to get one of the group leaders pose with me for a photograph.

Faith

 

When I was done with my photography at the Sangam Road in front of the Akharas, it was around 10:00 am, and the roads were choked with people and processions, to the extent that even walking was difficult. I managed to weave my way through the crowd and met some interesting characters on my way back, including a person from New York who made himself a walking archive of Hindu religious motifs.  Many interesting faces from the crowd and the processions appealed to my camera too.

 



Not a vendor.  There was more to him.  I observed him for an hour after this photo. The Inscrutable Saint.

 



Women saints were less in number but the few present were prominent

 Iscon had a significant presence in the Mela.

I was famished and a bowl of free khichri served outside Nityananda Dhyanapeetham camp on Sangam Marg in Sector 8 saved my soul. However, like a true ungrateful rationalist, the high quality of the ingredients in the offering served to the masses raised questions in my mind about the source of funds.

After reaching our camp and a rejuvenating shower followed by the simple food served for lunch, I slept like a log in the afternoon. In the evening, me and my lone survivor friend explored the Mela locally and visited the riverfront. As a poor compensation of my unreligious act of not taking a holy dip during the auspicious hours of the morning, I touched the river water and put it on my head and forehead, hoping for a mini-salvation.  There was a Yagna (sacrificial fire) going on in our Sector in memory of Indian freedom fighters and soldiers who died in wars.

Pontoon Bridge on Ganga, in the evening

Mahayagna venue in memory of those who laid their lives for the country

 The return trip next morning was a much shorter walk of 2 km, through the narrow lanes in to the maddeningly crowded area of Daraganj in the regular Allahabad city, from where we took a rickshaw to our hotel. We got about an hour to freshen up and check-out. While waiting in the hotel lobby after check-out, I had a chance meeting with Mark Tully. He said this is his fourth trip to Kumbh, and he was there at site the day before to cover the event too.

We reached the station at 7 pm for our train which was scheduled to arrive at 8:30 pm and was as per schedule according to the Railways. However, our train was held back at a station 5 km before Allahabad to make way for the special trains meant to ferry the thousands of pilgrims from the rural areas of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha states. At least 8 trains with unreserved compartments were boarded with several thousand pilgrims before our train trudged in to the station at 2 am in the night. There was a stampede at the station the day before, in which 40-odd people lost their lives. It was an administrative failure and a blot in the otherwise impeccable effort of the administration, which had focused all their planning and energy at the Mela site and possibly left open ends in the crowd management at the railway station. On our day of departure, the Railway had deputed large posse of personnel and the police had very senior officers overseeing the entire crowd management.



Special train at Allahabad Railway Station- to send back pilgrims to their villages

In our informal chat with one of the staff, we were told that there was a lot of anguish and remorse within the administration for the tragic incident the day before. I walked up the three-star officer and in my Bengali-style rounded-off-the-edge Hindi congratulated the police administration for an their super-human effort in managing the Mela. He replied with a no-nonsense crisp Thank You.

 We departed Allahabad soaked with the overwhelming effect of the event but also with a sense of urban relief to be heading back to our comfort zones again.

Thus ended my sojourn from India to Bharat- a time machine ride to ancient India. We got a glimpse of an alternative society where spirituality and social values were the guiding governing principles; where women moved freely at all hours of day and night without any concern for safety; where greater good was achieved through socio-religious practices and institutions therein instead of government welfare schemes; where people connected with other through faith-based community activities rather than Facebook; where Government and law-and-order machinery happily and truly played subservient to the people. This, in contrast to our daily dose of crime/intolerance/misgovernance/advertorial stories in mainstream media leaves an open question on whether India missed the bus in making its 5000-year history of spirituality as the bedrock of its society and governance during its “tryst with destiny” in 1947 and basing itself on a borrowed Westminster system of governance principles instead. The answer lies in the womb of the history of the future!