5| Narrating Narratives
Conversations with a researcher, Featuring travels of Khumb Mela 2019
Khumb Mela
Internet says Khumb Mela is the world's largest gatherings. For me, Khumb Mela is where I understood the ease of interaction with strangers, how we believe them, help them, support them, eat together, travel together, share smiles and prayers. This isn’t happening in the late 80s, this is happening today — in the 21st Century as we live.
Motherhood
I stood looking at the water bodies of this spectacular event in the lights of the star a moon my frist night at Khumb. A lady withered with age, her face dimly lit with the lamps she held in her hand, walked towards me.
We generally make objects out of people but when people have faith, they make People out of Objects.
old lady. My child! You must light the lamp for the Mother Ganga.
Me. But it is only a water body, Light it, then someone has to clean it.
old lady. It is our mother, it is our god! you have come all this way, and you will not pray to her.
Me. Why is a water body our god?
Old lady. She gives us food, water, gives us jobs and livelihood — protects all of us.
Me. So, she takes care of you?
old lady. Yes, me you all of us. Let me light a lamp for you, come with me.
Me. I 'll stand with you…
old lady. Now when we leave the lamp in the water, Pray for something that you want the most!!
Me. um..okay………… ( we both close our eyes… and when I opened my eyes, she held my hand and push the lamp placed in a leaf)
We stood there watching the lamp float away.
Me. What did you pray for?
old lady. Both my son’s no longer have a job, they are just sitting at home…..she sobs…I tried to make them study, I could not make them into good people. Praying to my mother Ganga to take care of them.
Me. Do not cry, when you believe in her. She will take care of your sons.
old lady. Who takes care of you?
Me. mother Ganga right?
old lady. Ganag Maiya ki…..
Me. ….Jaiiiii
Kalpvasi
People walk, walk long distances, across days, across cities and reach to the mass gathering of Khumb Mela. Now their journey begins, from the dawn of Uthrayan/ Shankarthi (mid-January) till the onset of Basant Panchami (mid-March) they stay in Khumb Mela — live in tents, bath in river Ganga, eat from Biksha(food distributed to devotees), wear simple clothes maybe footwear.
I meet one such Kalpvasi, calmer than still water, softer than the soil on the banks
Me. Namasthe
Didi. Namasthe child! Here for Khumb Mela?
Me. Yes, this is my frist time. Have you come before?
Didi. I started coming with my grandmother when I was younger than you. She used to stay for the entire duration as a Kalpvasi, now I am a Kalpavasi.
Me. Where do you stay here?
Didi. There is an Ashram towards the north of mother Ganga, we stay in tents.
Me. For 2 months in a tent?
Didi. Yes, I have a big house in Lucknow, with my sons, and grandchildren. Every year I do this with the ashram irrespective of the Mela, we do Satsang. we learn more about god.
Me. Why do you have to do this?
Didi. In the city we all live in busy lives, we don’t think, pray ..everything is timed. Even breathing properly is rare enough. We do Satsang, two-three months of Peace, Contemplation, thinking of god — this is a lifestyle.
Me. Have you thought of adopting this lifestyle?
Didi. Yes, Yes — but I still have worldly attachments to my family, maybe eventually.
Me. Didi, You mentioned Satsang — What is a Satsang?
Didi. This! our conversations, you want to learn about something new and I am ready to share with you without expecting anything in return. this is the doing of the lord. this is also Satsang!
From Dawn to Dusk
Any side you turned in the of Khumb you could see two things, People & Government posters to guide people. The later was no doubt added to the picture by force to assist the former. The form is what adds the soul to the event.
Pilgrims together to the event.
Pilgrims eat together in public servings.
Pilgrims pray to the Mother Ganga together.
Pilgrims sail together in the boat to reach the Sangam of rivers (Ganga, Yamuna & Sarsvathi)
Pilgrims listen to Satsang together.
Pilgrims watch plays together.
Pilgrims doze off under the same roof after the play.
Pilgrims wake up again to have a holy dip in mother Ganga.Even if you are not a wholehearted beliver, you can join them with ease.
All of this happens over and over again, with different people from different parts of India on different days — They do not have the need to plan it, they just come together irrespective of their subcultures and caste.
India, here caste is what rules education, politics, marriage, and living — people pray together in every Khumb Mela.
What more does India need, if we stand together?