Sants, sadhus and their feats

By J. P. Shukla

KUMBH NAGAR, JAN. 21. While the gathering at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati in the Kumbh township has attracted thousands of people who seek salvation by taking a holy dip, there are also innumerable holy men trying to stir up the people's imagination by unconventional means. For them, it is a God-send opportunity. Even in this huge crowd, they stand out and can be distinguished without much difficulty.

Among those who evoke curiosity are `topi' baba, identified by his colourful caps, `pilot' baba, who was a flying pilot in his early life, `pagal' baba, who behaves like a `pagal' (madman) without any rhyme or reason, `keelwale' baba, who sits on a throne of `keel' ( nails), `falahari' baba, who lives on fruits and `dudhadhari' baba, who lives on milk.

There is another `sadhu' who claims he has been doing penance for 40 years in a standing position. And there is group of (male) worshippers which dresses up as women. The `women' consider themselves the `sakhis' (friends) of Ram's consort, Sita, and have come from Janakpur. It is their right to play and joke with Ram and they dance and sing through the streets of the tented township.

There is the `mauni' baba who observes `maun' (silence) except for two hours every day. He writes down his message when he does not speak and says he has been doing the same for many years now, following a vow. He was a qualified doctor before taking `sanyas'. And, a `Mahamandaleshwar' of Sri Panchayati Akhara sports a 13-foot long `jata' (hair) and attracts large crowds.

Many pilgrims express their embarrassment at the strange ways evolved by the new breed of godmen and yet, they flock to their camps if only to quench their curiousity.

The Kumbh is the occasion for godmen to enlist a new band of disciples. And the first way to bring someone to one's fold is to attract him. Publicity, therefore, is considered a very important medium for godmen and their supporters to attract new devotees to their sects.

A mere scanning of various publicity material, distributed among journalists, is enough to reveal the numerous techniques adopted by the `sadhus' and their organisations. Besides information on preaching sessions and discourses by numerous acharyas, the material consists of invitations to attend press conferences, to be addressed by religious personalities.

Local newspapers are replete with information on godmen and their activities. It is, however, difficult to understand the rationale behind their strange ways.

How the Kumbh clock ticks

PTI reports from New Delhi: With millions of devotees taking a holy dip, the Maha Kumbh, dubbed as the spiritual Olympics, always makes news. But ever thought how the dating of the event is coordinated? The Director of the Nehru Planetarium, Ms. N. Rathnasree, has the answer. The positions of Jupiter, Sun and the Moon are taken into account to determine the exact timings of the Kumbh, she says.

The giant planet Jupiter, an important component of the clock, has an orbital period of 4333 days (nearly 12 years), which corresponds to the occurrence of the Maha Kumbh.

For the ``Mouny Amavasya'' on January 24 during this Maha Kumbh, the clock helps in successfully dating the event.

Probe ordered

The Uttar Pradesh Government today ordered a high-level inquiry by Mr. Saibal Kumar Mukerjee, the senior-most member of the Board of Revenue into the police assault on mediapersons in the Kumbh Mela area on January 19.

Mr. Mukerjee has been asked to conduct a ``detailed inquiry'' and submit his report within 15 days.

Cox and Kings' case

The Allahabad Divisional Commissioner's court has assured that a final order on the Cox and Kings' case would be passed on January 23, the company's chief operating officer, Mr. Prithvi Singh, said in Kumbh Nagar.

The divisional commissioner, Mr. Sadakant, had received all the internal reports on ``Anna Kshetra'' and the ``controversial'' photographs by mediapersons from the Mela administration and the Press Information Bureau, Mr. Singh said.

``Our counsel has submitted a report stating that there was absolutely no supply of alcohol and meat at the company's tent houses,'' he added.

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