Kumbh Mela 2013: Day Three - 10th February

If I thought that I would get a full nights sleep here on the 10th February I was sadly mistaken.  Indeed the singing in the neighbouring tents went on until the early hours before starting again in gusto after only, what seemed, an half hour respite.  Everyone is excited by today, the most auspicious day of the Maha Kumbh Mela which only comes around once every 144 years.

Wake up was at 6am for Bapu to get ready for the procession that will precede the bathing of the saddhus.  I had no idea what my part in this process would be but I guessed I was to be sitting on the sidelines watching, hopefully having a better view than the masses.  But when Bapu popped his head around the corner and told me to hurry up and get ready I was a bit confused.  I entered the main part of the tent to find that all of the men were being dressed in orange robes.  After a quick examination I established that we were to accompany Bapu and that we all must be dressed in orange robes.  I rushed to get ready in time, failing blindly at wrapping the robes in any respectable fashion.  Fortunately someone was there to help me and I was soon dressed in cloth that I never expected to be dressed in.

Every Saddhu has a tractor pulled float to transfer the saddhu and his disciples through the 'streets' of the Kumbh to parade to the pilgrims before arriving at the river for the bathing.  The float always contains a raised throne like seat for the saddhu to sit on and his disciples crowd around.  I was given the honour of bearing the danda, a celebratory defensive weapon, one side of the seat.  We were crowded on the float and indeed not everyone could climb abroad.  The others would have to walk alongside, not straying too far though or they might very well be sucked into the crowds massing on the sides.

Finally the procession started and our tractor lurched to a start slowly following the other tractors in front of us.  As soon as we were out of the VIP area we saw the extent of the crowds.  They stretched the horizon in every direction and the cheer was deafening.  We advanced slowly to the sounds of the police whistles desperately blowing to keep the crowds back and the procession moving forward.  Some floats threw garland flowers to the outstretched hands of pilgrims who caught them enthusiastically and prayed to the flower.  One woman even reached down and grabbed some of the sand that our tractor had passed over and sprinkled it onto her head in prayer.

The crowds near the river though for the police to control and the floats had to stop a hundred or so metres short.  We got off the float, one by one, but were immediately separated from each other by the crowds.  Each to themselves we fought our way through the crowd to the water.  I had lost everyone that we came with and was being shoved about like a disowned ragdoll.  Someone fell in front of me and there was a real danger of them being crushed by the swarming crowd.  A saddhu next to the fallen woman started pushing everyone back whilst straddling the victim, protecting them.  A few others helped keep the crowds away and eventually, luckily, she was dragged to her feet.  Disaster averted.

I reached the water where there was a little more space for each other.  I took of my robes and pushed through the crowds into the water.  People were ecstatic of being there and the joy in their faces was electrifying.  Following cue, I dunked my head into the water three times on this holy of holiest days of the Maha Kumbh Mela.

By the end of the day it is reported that over 30 million people bathed today.