Spiritualism - Eternal Voice

aridwar, Gateway of the Lord, is, where the pilgrims andtravelers gather to undertake the ascent to pilgrimages likeHGangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib. Nestling inthe foothills of the Shivalik range, the town of Haridwar findsmention in the Mahabharata and Puranas. It has been referredvariously as Mokshadwar (the Door of Salvation) or Gangadwar(Gateway of Ganga). The Ganga is considered the most holyhere. In the Mahabharata, epical heroes like Bhishma andArjuna undertake penance at the place, where the Ganga entersthe plains.Funeral rites are among the most significant rituals conductedhere. From all over the country, people come here, have a dip inthe Ganga and conduct the rite of immersing the ashes of thedead, seeking salvation for the departed soul. Just like the mythof Ganga’s descent to purify the ashes of Bhagirathi’s ancestors.The ashes are immersed at Kankhal, a small town nearby,known also as Panchpuri or Mayapuri.Ganga JalFrom Haridwar millions of believers goback to their homes clutching a small pot ofGanga Jal (holy water) to be used duringbirth, death or marriage ceremonies, or topurify their hearths and hearts.A staunch belief in the restorative powersof the Ganga here is evident throughouthistory. It is said that Mughal emperors Akbar and Jehangirwould have nothing but Ganga Jal, which was carried over longdistances for them. As a 17th century traveler Tavernier pointsout that Ganga Jal sealed by a Brahmin was given “…at the endof the repast,” or wedding feasts.GhatsThe life of Haridwar revolves around the bathing Ghats, for, thedevout believe that even one dip in the Ganga in a lifetime isenough for their salvation. The five sacred bathing spots inHaridwar are Gangadwara, Kankhal, Neela Parvata, BilwaTeertha and Kusavarta.The Ganga Aarti or Maha AartiOne of the most spectacular, aesthetically and spiritually upliftingrituals is that of the evening Ganga Aarti, in which the light ofDiyas (lamps) offered to the Ganga recreates the primeval myth ofworshipping nature’s life force. The Aarti is conducted at the mainGhat of Har-ki-Pauri or Hari-ki-Pairi, named so after a myth abouta footprint of Vishnu embedded on a stone in a wall. As the sunsets, cloaking the sky in muted colors, the temple bells ring inunison at 7 pm. It is time for the Aarti. At that moment, hundredsof lighted Diyas, placed on banana leaves along with flowers, arelaunched on the river, carrying hopes, prayers and invocations.The river becomes a shimmering surface of twinkling lights, allbobbing towards the current, until they become tiny specks oflight exploring the soul of a river.Near Har-ki-Pauri is the Gangadwara temple, the most importantof the several temples in this town. In Kankhal is the ancientDaksha Prajapati temple, that tells the legend of DakshaPrajapati, a powerful king, who faces the wrath of his son-in-lawShiva. Incensed at the fact that his daughter Parvati marriedagainst his wishes, Prajapati refrains from calling Shiva to aYagna for which he has called all the gods. Parvati reaches thesite only to immolate herself, and Shiva’s attendant beheadsPrajapati while Shiva brings him back to life.The Spectacle of Kumbh & Ardha KumbhEvery 12 years, Haridwar gets converted to a vast, billowingtented city on sand as millions converge to take a bath in theGanga for a month’s time during a period consideredauspicious. The believers hold that the Ganga water attains allthe properties of the Amrit that made the gods immortal andbathing in the Ganga would purify their souls and they would bereborn in heaven. Further, it is the water in Har-ki-Pauri orBrahma Kund that is supposed to hold the Amrit-like Ganga.Myth has it that the Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) churned theocean to get to the Kumbh (jar) that contained Amrit or nectar ofimmortality. In this battle, Vishnu, the preserver of the world aidedthe Devas in securing their hands on the Amrit Kumbh. Handing theKumbh to the divine physician Dhanvantri, Vishnu bade him leavefor heaven. As the Asuras gave chase to Dhanvantri, four drops ofamrit fell from the Kumbh at Haridwar, Prayag (confluence ofGanga and Yamuna in Allahabad), Ujjain and Nasik.Associated with this myth, these places have gained the statusof great pilgrimages. Since the journey back to heaven took12 days, a Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years at one of thesefour locations (one day of the gods is taken to be 12 years long).And every six years, an Ardha Kumbh is held.At the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, Hindus from all over thecountry and abroad jostle to get a dip in the Brahma Kund at thedesignated times. But they have to give way to the differentschools or Akharas of Sadhus, whose heads lead the way to theShahi Snan, or royal bathing days that are consideredparticularly auspicious. Then it is the turn of the ordinary menand women - householders, peasants, businessmen andprofessionals - to dip themselves in the water.The winding processions of Sadhus on caparisoned elephantscamels and horses, the deafening noise of full throated cries,cymbals and conches, punctuated by singing lends the KumbhMela a panoramic splendor and pomp. In 1830, Captain Skinner,Gateway of theBy Rajinder Singh Chadha