Kumbha (Kumbh) Mela is a mass pilgrimage centered on the ritual of riverside bathing, it is variously called the the Great Indian Bathing Festival, the Urn Festival, the Pitcher Festival and so forth. It occurs four times every twelve years rotating between Allahabad/Prayaga at the confluence of the rivers Ganga (Ganges), Jamuna (Yamuna) and the concealed Saraswati, Haridwar (Hara Dwar) on the river Ganga (Ganges), Ujjain on the river Kshipra (Shipra), and Nasik on the river Godavari (Gomati)
Bathing in these rivers during the Kumbha (Kumbh) Mela is considered an endeavour of great merit, cleansing both body and spirit. The Allahabad and Haridwar (Hara Dwar) festivals are routinely attended by five million or more pilgrims; the Kumbha (Kumbh) Mela is the largest religious gathering in the world. It may also be the oldest
Two traditions are in circulation regarding the origin and timing of the festival: one that stems from ancient texts known as the Puranas, and the other that connects it with astrological considerations. According to the Puranic epic, the gods and demons had churned the milky ocean at the beginning of time in order to gather various divine treasures including a jar containing a potion of immortality - Ambrosia. As the jar emerged from the ocean the gods and demons began a terrific battle for its possession. During the battle, which according to one legend the gods won by trickery, four drops of the precious potion fell to earth, when Jayantha (Jayanth) the son of the chief deity Indra carried the jar (Kumbha/kumbh) that held the ambrosia in the form of a giant bird - these places became the sites of the four Kumbha (Kumbh) Mela festivals, according to another legend he ran away with the jar and hid them on twelve locations on earth where few drops of ambrosia fell, four of these places are known and identified as the four sites for the Kumbh (Kumbh) Mela, the other eight locations are being researched by our team
The astrological tradition (ascribed to a lost Puranic text and not traceable in extant editions) seems to stem from a very ancient festival called the Kumbha Parva, which occurred at Hardwar every twelfth year when Jupiter was in Aquarius (the Indian name being Kumbha/Kumbh) and the sun entered Aries
At some later time the term 'Kumbha (Kumbh)' was prefixed to the Melas held at Prayaga, Ujjain, and Nasik and these four sites became identified with the four mythical locations of the immortality potion - Ambrosia. In theory the Kumbha (Kumbh) Mela festivals are supposed to occur every three years, rotating between the four cities. In practice the four-city cycle may actually take eleven or thirteen years and this because of the difficulties and controversies in calculating the astrological conjunctions. Furthermore the interval between the Kumbha Mela at Nasik and that at Ujjain is not of three years; they are celebrated the same year or only a year apart. This deviation in practice is intriguing and cannot be fully explained by either astrological or mythological means.
kalpavasi.com
Every Wednesday on Fuse is a Hip Hop Invasion!
The brightest stars in the Hip Hop universe from Jay-Z to Lil' Wayne are taking over with Concerts, Documentaries, Music Videos and Interviews.
It's a full-scale Hip Hop Invasion. Every Wednesday.
This week, catch 50 Cent: On The Record With Fuse, Wednesday at 8pm/7c
Watch as The Jove comedy group impersonates Barack Obama & Hillary Clinton and battle it out on a magic carpet ride.
Check out more articles & videos at http://www.moli.com/p/election_center/
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the world’s greatest speed eaters recently battled in the Alamo City to claim victory in the La Costeña Feel the Heat Jalapeño Eating Championship Challenge. After ten fiery minutes, including a double overtime one-on-one challenge with the reigning champion, Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti emerged victorious by consuming 275 whole pickled jalapeños. The fourth annual challenge was a highly anticipated rematch between the reigning champ – five-foot-tall, 105-pound Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas – and Bertoletti, the mohawked, two-time title winner from Chicago. With a vengeance not seen since the Battle of the Alamo, Bertoletti regained the coveted title from Thomas. Both Bertoletti and Thomas set a new record for the number of jalapeños eaten at this annual competition.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/amway/43314/
Beera, injured but enraged hits back starting a battle that draws Dev, Beera and Ragini into the jungle. The jungle which is dense, confusing and scary. And in this journey they must confront their own truth. A journey which will test their beliefs, convictions and emotions. Emotions which are as scary and confusing as the forest. The forest becomes the setting for the battle. The battle between the good and the evil, between Dev and Beera, between Ram and Raavan. Want to find out what happens next? Stay tuned & enjoy the action packed monsoon this 2010.
Madworld is an imaginative third-person action game exclusively for Wii and was produced by Atsushi Inaba. MadWorld has a unique black and white style depicting an incredibly sharp backdrop that straddles graphic novels and 3D worlds. As players battle opponents, they must master the use of various weapons and items found within their environment, such as chainsaws and street signs, while entertaining sports commentary adds to the third-person gameplay. With its irreverent humor and over-the-top violence, MadWorld will deliver a unique core gaming experience currently missing on the Wii system.
Planet Battle: The battle returns to Hong Kong with its brutal No Rules mixed martial arts. June 4th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong All you need to know @ http://www.planet-battle.com/
The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) successfully completed its first flight test today at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
The PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) MEADS Certified Missile Round was employed during the test along with the MEADS lightweight launcher and battle manager.
The test demonstrated an unprecedented over-the-shoulder launch of the MSE missile against a simulated target attacking from behind. It required a unique sideways maneuver, demonstrating a 360-degree capability. The missile executed a planned self-destruct sequence at the end of the mission after successfully engaging the simulated threat.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53248-meads-conducts-successful-first-flight-test-white-sands-missile-range
Every Wednesday on Fuse is a Hip Hop Invasion!
The brightest stars in the Hip Hop universe from Jay-Z to Lil' Wayne are taking over with Concerts, Documentaries, Music Videos and Interviews.
It's a full-scale Hip Hop Invasion. Every Wednesday.
This week, catch 50 Cent: On The Record With Fuse, Wednesday at 8pm/7c
Each year top athletes and those who are working hard to be recognized battle earnestly to take home top titles. The games has a high respect among runners plus its high ranking on the IAAF index makes the rivalry more exciting
