HindiLearner News

People Taking Bath During Kumbh Snaan

MILLIONS of people are making their way to the banks of Ganga in Haridwar for the Kumbh mela. They will take dips in the river on auspicious dates over three months beginning January 14, 2010 convinced that it will grant them salvation, ‘moksha’.

Raman Nanda feels light as he comes to terms with the cycle of life and death

My thoughts go back to the Mahakumbh 2001 in Allahabad where I finally ventured for a dip in the dirty, freezing cold waters for a transformative experience.

I asked a pujari about the holy bath and how one should approach it. “Stand in the river and do ‘aachman’ – collect some water with joined palms and throw it back over your head as an offering to your ancestors. When you dip your head under the water, think about your loved ones. Do take a few dips in the name of relatives who have not been able to make it to the Kumbh!”

Seemed simple. So, on the auspicious bathing day on a freezing cold January morning, I joined the stream of innumerable human beings headed for the river. I felt I was being carried to the river.

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Kumbh mela is here again after 12 long years in the holy city of Haridwar (India) in foothills of Himalayas.

If you want to be a part of the world’s largest confluence of faith and devotion, experience the spiritual fervour, take a holy dip in the Ganges, and purify your mind, body and soul then get prepared to immerse yourself in the sacred congregation of millions of devotees who will be attending the Kumbh mela to seek the divine blessings and eternal peace.

Kunbh mela snaan parv -2010 is being organised from 14th Jan 2010 till 28th Apr 2010. Be a part of world’s greatest confluence of faith and devotion.

Make sure you don’t miss this spectacular spiritual opportunity.

Also read the origin and importance of Kumbh mela at:

Kumbh Mela- Greatest Congregation Of Humanity

United Nations honors Gandhi’ ideals – declares Gandhi’s birthday i.e. 02 October as
“International Day of Non-Violence”

A recent poll on university campus across the US put Mahatma Gandhi ahead of political figures anywhere in the world. The only man more popular than him among the student community was Bill Gates.

A Berlin school was renamed after after Mahatma Gandhi on demand of it’s students. A large number of US universities and colleges have of late introduced courses in Gandhism. Gandhi Society at the University of Exeter offers trips to India.

The American Academy of Motion Pictures awarded the film ‘Gandhi ‘ eight Oscars in 1983.

All this clearly is evidence of revival of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals. Indeed, the half-naked fakir of British imperial arrogance is capturing popular imagination about a world without violence.

Non-violence is not weakness. On the contrary, it is quite effective as it strips the adversary of all legitimacy. Gandhi demonstrated it’s success against imperial British. American civil rights movement of 1960s led by Martin Luther King Jr. culminated in political rights for African-Americans. Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe when confronted with non-violent resistance led by forces like Solidarity in Poland and Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia.

In 1986, a massive show of peoples power toppled Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship in Philippines. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu played a major role in South Africa’s relatively peaceful transition from apartheid to a democracy.

Gandhi’s ideals of Truth and Non-Violence is as relevant as ever. Let us dedicate ourselves to the path shown by him to maintain peace and harmony in the world today.

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance …. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.” - Jawaharlal Nehru (Speech on Indian Independence Day, 1947).

On 15th Aug, every year Indian state celebrates it’s Independence Day with all the pomp and show which have become part of political establishments of the day.

But it’s also a time to ponder over – What Independence Day means to you?

Is it any of these?

• Freedom to day dream.
• Freedom to holiday.
• Freedom to work.
• Freedom to not work.
• Freedom to work from home.
• Freedom to retire at the age of 40.
• Freedom to quit the 9-to-5 and start organic farming.
• Freedom to earn on par with your peers abroad.
• Freedom from Monday morning blues.
• Freedom from energy deficiency.
• Freedom from ‘Boss is always right.’
• Freedom from communal hatred.
• Freedom from jargon.

If you happen to be an Indian, do tell us ‘How independent you feel today?‘

It’s that blog pictures“>beautiful time of year again. Enjoy it.