The Hindu : Other States / Madhya Pradesh News : Simhasta Mahakumbh begins today

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Monday, Apr 05, 2004

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Simhasta Mahakumbh begins today

By Lalit Shastri

UJJAIN, APRIL 4. The first month-long Simhasta Mahakumbha of this century will begin with religious fervour and traditional gaiety tomorrow when lakhs of Sadhus, saints and devotees from different parts of the country would take a holy dip in the Kshipra river in this holy city of Mahakaleshwar — one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas.

The State Government and the Ujjain district administration as well as Police have done a massive exercise to ensure every thing passes off smoothly tomorrow when over 25 lakh devotes, including sadhus and saints are expected to be present here to herald the beginning of the month-long Simhasta Mahakumbh.

While coming from Bhopal this afternoon, instead of taking the direct Dewas-Ujjain road, one had to make a detour via-Indore to enter this city from the Sanver side, as during the next one month all vehicular traffic would be diverted to control the huge rush of vehicles entering Ujjain. While entering the city one

came across several police barricades and all the incoming vehicles were strictly checked by the police to ensure that not single vehicle crossed these barriers without a valid Simhasta pass.

All roads were today leading to the Mahakal temple in the heart of the city. The Sadhus and devotees today kept surging on the Ujjain roads braving the scorching summer heat to offer prayers at the Mahakal temple. There were so many charity organizations and more prominently the Simhasta Seva Dal backed by the Bharat Scouts and Guides that were on the forefront regulating the crowd at the temple as well as the railway station, Ankpat and Bhairogarh. The Simhasta Seva Dal camp director at the Mahakal temple, Sadashiv Verma told The Hindu that for the next one month they will be there to regulate traffic, give first-aid,

help the missing persons trace their kith and kin, provide drinking water to the devotees and help in organizing queues.

Keeping in view the huge rush of Sadhus and devotees on the opening day of Simhasta, when the Sadhus will also take the first Shahi Snan (Sacred bath), the

State Government had sent across the message to the VVIPs and important dignitaries that it would not be possible to make any special arrangements for them

tomorrow. This message notwithstanding, the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje Scindia has already reached Ujjain to attend the Simhasta as this has been the tradition with the erstwhile royal family of the Scindias.

Despite the attempts by the authorities here to ensure smooth conduct of rituals linked with the beginning of the month-long Simhasta festival, there has been some confrontation among a few sections of Akharas as the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad has decided to boycott the Agni Akhara and the Avahan Akhara. The local administration here is keeping a close eye on the situation and hopes that things would pass off smoothly tomorrow on this count.

When a Sadhu was asked to explain how is it that lakhs of devotees from different parts of the country reach Ujjain on a particular day without any external pressure or motive, he said this was one question that had even bewildered the British during their rule. The Hindus across the country, moulded by faith and tradition, converge at the same place at the same time to join the Simhasta festival with the help of the "Panchanga" that helps them to calculate the exact planetary position, he added.

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Simhasta Mahakumbh begins today