Saturday 3 December 2016

Life of Hindu Hermits


Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred and holy river Ganga. Kumbh Mela held in every 12 years at Haridwar, Allahabad, Nashik, Ujjain. Maha Kumbha Mela is an auspicious occasion in Hindu mythology which happens after 144 years. I wanted to be a part of the occasion so went to Allahabad in year 2013…

When I was strolling in Mela sight I came across with lots of hermits who are staying in a tent colony.  Every tent or AKHADA belongs to the different sect of hermits where they worship god in their own way…

Few hermits are quite luxuries. They were moving in decorated horse cart from one place to another place and some of them have weapons also…

I find some of them were torturing their body badly. Some are standing in one leg and some are standing in two legs in a same position from years.  Some were not speaking anything, some are Naga (naked) Sadhus, who don’t believe in wearing any kind of cloths on their body, Some are smoking marijuana and so many else…

Best part of this Mahakumbha was that women hermits were showing their presence in first time. Before that they were not allowed to participate in such occasions…

I get to know so much about them which I will write in detail next time but this time updating some pictures of hermits…




















12 comments:

  1. Beautiful Hindu pilgrimage, they look so proud.

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  2. Life is tough but meaningful for them.

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  3. Hello Vineeta,
    Very impressive pictures. So great to see the people with an other culture.
    I like your pictures.

    Kind regards,
    Marco

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  4. Sehr interessante und eindrucksvolle Bilder von einer ganz anderen Welt
    und dem Leben für den Glauben.

    Noke

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  5. I love these portraits of the hermits.

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  6. Thanks for this wonderful post and beautiful photos. Originally, Hermitary was supposed to be the third stage of one's life - Vanaprasthya. Forest dweller or live a life of solitude. However, it looks like that turned into a cult.

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  7. Very impressive photos of Hindu Hermits. You showed me the world of them I’ve never seen.

    Yoko

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  8. Excellent shots from Kumbh Mela.

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  9. Different, informative post with excellent photos...

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  10. Wonderful set of pictures and great information - I'm looking forward to my (brief) visit to India in 2017.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  11. Thank you Vinita, for these photographs.The reader comes across some strange people and strange lives.Where one finds peace there is one's life.

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  12. These were all fantastic portraits, So well shot

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