The Biggest Pilgrimage In The World

It would be no exaggeration to say that India is the spiritual capital of the world since ancient times.

- Swami Bhavyatej

During the pre-historic ages, when the rest of the world was living in the jungles as hunter-gatherers, we were building large civilizations. Our scientists enunciated the science of the body (Ayurveda) and the mind (Yoga) thousands of years ago. India was home to universities that attracted students from all over the world – students in pursuit of both material and spiritual knowledge.

Is it then surprising that India is home to the biggest religious gathering on the planet? What is this mega event that attracts close to a hundred and fifty (150) million people, an event unimaginable in scale and magnitude for people who have not actually witnessed it? You guessed it – The Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela – a festival of Aastha, Bhakti and Shraddha (Hope, Devotion and Faith), is an event that occurs every 12 years and is one of the biggest pilgrimages in the Hindu tradition.

Held at the confluence of the holy rivers of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati (which is underground) in the ancient holy city of Prayagraj; it attracts a sea of humanity on a quest to attain the ultimate – liberation from the cycle of birth and death or “Moksha” as the scriptures have said.

The holy river Ganga signifies Purity, Yamuna signifies Devotion (Bhakti) and Saraswati represents Knowledge (Gyan). It is said that after the churning of the ocean (‘Sagar Manthan’), the Elixir of Life (Amrit) that came out fell in four places on the planet – Prayagraj, Ujjain, Haridwar and Nasik and a dip in the holy waters of the Ganga cleanses one of all sins to attain Moksha. The Art of Living, founded by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has been an integral part of the largest spiritual gathering in recent history. We have set up camps at the Kumbh Mela many times and I consider myself blessed to have been the organizer in charge of our Kumbh efforts.