HPI
NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 5, 2004: The Ardha or half-cycle celebration of the Kumbha Mela at Haridwar is to begin January 14 and carry on through May. As many as 20 million devotees will pilgrimage to the Ganges during that time. This Mela occurs on the 6th year between the main Melas which are on a 12 year cycle. There has been little advance coverage of the Mela, though the government has been making substantial preparations. Swami Vishweshwarananda of Omkarananda Ashram in Rishikesh told Hinduism Today reporter Mr. Rajiv Malik in Delhi today that the preparations at the governmental level for the Ardha Kumbha were going on in a full swing. Roads, bridges and other construction work was being carried out speedily. Rishikesh was even subjected to frequent power cuts due to the Kumbha preparations as the power was being diverted for Kumbha related jobs. Another significant change at the ground level is that Haridwar is now a part of the new state of Uttranchal which was carved out of Uttar Pradesh. So it is the state of Uttranchal which is preparing for the Ardha Kumbha.
Swami Vishweshwarananda also said that yesterday they had a gathering of around 200 sadhus at Omkarananda Ashram to mark the Mahasamadhi day, January 4, of Swami Omkarananda. A huge bhandara was organized to feed the sadhus on this occasion.