--- In [email protected], "shempmcgurk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > The sight of naked, ashed Sadhus traipsing down Main Street, Irvine > will be worth the price of admission alone.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mNtseiHzXK0 http://youtube.com/watch?v=CpCU2Tm9Xo0 http://youtube.com/watch?v=3Ty-v1gRfpA http://youtube.com/watch?v=I5Zxz2WCBr8 > --- In [email protected], "Robert Gimbel" > <babajii_99@> wrote: > > > > New York, Aug 22, IANS) Kumbha Mela, the most sacred of all Hindu > > pilgrimages, will be held for the first time in the United States. > > > > The Mela in the US is being organised on Sep 10 at Bren Center, > > University of California Irvine, to usher in world peace by infusing > > collective positivity, according to a press release. > > > > It is being organised under the auspices of Paramahamsa Nithyananda, > > Nithyananda Foundation; Swami Ishwarananda, Chinmaya Mission; Swami > > Sarvadevananda, Vedanta Society; Dr. Acharya Yogeesh, Yogeesh > Ashram; > > and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh. > > > > The highlights of the celebrations will include a powerful Vishwa > > Shanti Yagna, a Vedic style fire ceremony to invoke peace energy > > through one of the purest elements of nature - fire - an abhishekam, > > or offering of water from 21 holy rivers of India to all the > deities, > > and a grand procession with participation by various spiritual > > organisations from across the US, the release stated. > > > > 'Homas' and 'aartis' will add to the daylong rituals, which will > start > > at 2 p.m. > > > > In India, the Mela is held four times every 12 years and rotates > > between Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. > > > > Each twelve-year cycle includes one Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, > > which is attended by millions of people, making it the largest > > gathering anywhere in the world. > > > > Legend has it that in the Vedic ages, gods and demons made a > temporary > > agreement to work together churning 'amrita' or the nectar of > > immortality from the Ksheera Sagara (primordial ocean of milk), and > to > > share the nectar equally. > > > > However, when the urn or 'Kumbha' containing the nectar appeared, > the > > demons ran away with it. The gods then gave a chase and for 12 days > > and 12 nights the two sides fought for the possession of the urn. > > > > In the course of the battle, four drops of nectar fell at Prayag, > > Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain. Hence the Mela is held at these four > places. > > >
