The main & common reason for
one to attend the holy festival of Kumbh Mela is to take
dip in Holy river, It is said that a holy dip in sacred
rivers during Maha Kumbh or Ardh kumbh takes human out
of the circle of life & death ( stage known as Moksha ).
Pilgrims & Sadhus in great numbers from around the world
visit here to liberate themselves. Holy rivers like
Ganges , Yamuna & celestial Sarawati at Parayag ( Sangam
at Allahbad ) is age old symbol of Indian Culture &
Civilization. These river offers purity, wealth,
fertility and wash away the sins of those who bath in
it.
There are
many bathing ghats at Haridwar the main ghat is Har Ki
Pauri.
Har Ki
Pauri
This sacred Ghat was
constructed by King Vikramaditya in memory of his
brother Bhartrihari. It is believed that Bhartrihari
eventually came to Haridwar to meditate by the banks of
holy Ganga. When he died, his brother constructed a Ghat
in his name which later came to be known as
Hari-Ki-Pari.This sacred bathing ghat is also known as
Brahmakund Ghat.Vikramaditya remains an enigma; some
historians date his reign to 57 BC, others to the sixth
century AD. The reflection of golden hues of floral
diyas in the river Ganga is the most enchanting sight in
the twilight during the Ganga Arti ceremony . Attending
the Ganga Arti which is performed here.
The other famous
ghats in haridwar are Asthi Parwah Ghat , Subhash Ghat
and Gau Ghat.
Asthi Parvat Ghat
Immediately south of
the main Ganga temple is the Asthi Prawah Ghat, where
the ashes of the dead are immersed in the Ganga, in the
belief that as with the 60,000 sons of Sanger, the
cooling waters of the river will bestow salvation upon
the departed soul From time to time, when the canal is
closed, beggars sift the river bed in search of gold or
coins which may have been immersed with the ashes.
Subhash
Ghat
Subhash Ghat, with a
statue of the freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra
Bose, is adjacent to Har-Ki-Pairi. The Sewa Samiti,
another voluntary organization, runs a dispensary here
and also assists pilgrims.
Gau Ghat
South of Subhash Ghat
is Gau Ghat, where people seek atonement for the sin of
cow-slaughter (gau means cow) The unique veneration of
cow in India goes back 3500. years. The cow was “Kamadhenu”,
the fulfiller of desires, and a cherished item of
wealth. Death ceremonies were completed with the pious
act of donating a cow. The sin of killing a cow is
“equal to the sin of killing a Brahmin”. |
