JAMMU, Jan 17: Like other parts of the world, enthusiasm is running very high among the devotees of jammu for the ongoing ‘Maha Kumbh’ -the largest religious event on this earth which is also sowing the feeling among every Hindu to take a holy dip in pious Sangam, the confluence of three rivers-Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati in Prayagraj, while many have already taken this bath since the very start of this religious congregation on January 13, 2025.
Filled with devotion, Samiksha Khajuria, 20, a student of legal studies at a private college in Jammu is jubilant as she along with her brother and parents will be part of millions of pilgrims visiting Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh for a holy dip in the pious waters of Sangam.
“We have reserved train tickets for January 26, 2025 from Jammu to Prayagraj. After taking a dip in the holy water of Sangam there, I will pray to God to bless me with all the success to accomplish my dream of becoming a part of Indian judiciary to serve my great nation with justice,” the young law student said.
There are many like Samiksha who are keenly waiting with their tickets for their turn for the pilgrimage and these people are presently busy in collecting all the necessary things they need for the journey and they keenly watch news on TV channels, social media and other platforms for all the latest updates related to the pilgrimage.
Those returning from the pilgrimage after having a sacred bath in the pious waters of Sangam lauded the arrangements put in place by the authorities concerned and also by the Akharas of different sects of seers.
Most of these devotees have expressed satisfaction over accomplishing an important pilgrimage which is believed to relief people of their sins and invoke blessings for progress in life.
After reaching his home in Sarwal area of Jammu on Thursday morning, Yash Pal Shastri, 63, a retired employee from Defence Department informed that he was lucky to take a dip in the holy waters of Sangam 2-3 times during the Amrit Snan on January 13 and 14, after which he along with other members of his group took the train to return to their homes in Jammu.
“We stayed at Panch Digamber Akhara of Bajrang Dass Shastri in Sector 20 of Prayagraj where 30 more pilgrims were from Jammu and rest were from other parts of the country,” he informed.
Yash Pal also said that they had a simple living at the pilgrimage place wherein they used to sleep on the ground and consume simple food after the same was served to the saints.
“Apart from holy dip in the pious waters of Sangam, we had Darshan of saints with different hues which in itself was a unique experience,” he claimed.
Many others returning from the pilgrimage also expressed similar feelings and said that all should perform Kumbh and one should never miss the holy dip in Sangam for remaining on the path of spiritualism.
Some saints informed that this Kumbh is occurring after 144 years, so it is called ‘Maha Kumbh’.
“After every 12 years there is a Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh after every six years. After 12 Kumbhs, there is Maha Kumbh,” they said adding that the planetary setup during the Maha Kumbh days remains the same as it was there during the time of Sagar Manthan.
Leaving for the pilgrimage on January 29, 2025, Pandit Rumil Sharma of ancient Bhairav Mandir in Jammu informed that he will take the holy dip on Mouni Amavasya falling on January 29 and again on Basant Panchami falling on February 12, 2025.
“I have earlier performed four Kumbhs including Ardh Kumbhs and my experience in all these previous events remained excellent,” he said.
“One can’t express the divine joy which is achieved during the Kumbh as no words can express it,” Rumil Sharma maintained adding: “The blessings and spiritual joy at Kumbh can be experienced and felt only but it cannot be expressed by any means.”
Another pilgrim on returning from Maha Kumbh said the saffron-robed seers and the naked ash-smeared ascetics called Nagas at Prayagraj during the spiritual event were seen everywhere showering blessings to the devotees, which in itself gives the feeling of some different world.Many pilgrims leaving for Prayagraj informed that after performing Kumbh, they have plans to visit Ayodhya Ji also to pay obeisance to Lord Rama at the newly constructed temple.
