Dehradun: Pushkar Kumbh, which is held every 12 years, will be held in the country’s first village Mana from 14th to 25th May. Pushkar Kumbh will be celebrated in a grand manner this year at the confluence of Saraswati and Alaknanda. This can be estimated from the fact that about 1.57 lakh devotees from various states of South India have registered to participate in it. Devotees from five states of the country, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka will participate in this religious event. Villagers of Mana village have also started returning to their ancestral village for the preparations of the ritual.
The Saraswati river flows underground in Mana village, three kilometers from Badrinath Dham. At some distance, there is a confluence of Saraswati river and Alaknanda in Keshav Prayag. The Saraswati river originates from the Himalayas. For centuries, devotees from South India reach Keshav Prayag for bathing and worship during the Pushkar Kumbh, which is held every 12 years. Earlier, only a few devotees used to reach here, but since 2013, devotees are reaching here in large numbers.
This year, the Pushkar Kumbh is again proposed to be organized in Mana village. Preparations for this have begun. Village head of Mana village, Pitambar Molfa, said that many people from South India have started reaching Mana village for the preparations of the Pushkar Kumbh. So far, 1.57 thousand devotees have registered to participate in the event. He said that Pushkar Kumbh has special significance in South India. After the announcement of Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Vijayawada, this year Pushkar Kumbh will be held from 14 to 26 May.
Mana village’s homestays and hotels are fully booked for May.
Gram Pradhan Pitambar Molfa of Mana village said that a large number of devotees have already booked their homestays and hotels for the month of May for the Pushkar Kumbh. Bookings for organizing Bhandara in Mana village are also being received from the devotees.
In 2013, Kumbh was concluded a day before the disaster.
In 2013, Pushkar Kumbh was concluded in Mana village a day before the Kedarnath disaster. However, the devotees returned to their destination amidst heavy rains. Gram Pradhan Pitambar Molfa said that Pushkar Kumbh was held from 1st to 15th June in 2013. Thousands of devotees had reached here then. This year Kumbh will be organized in the month of May.
Pushkar Kumbh is celebrated when Jupiter enters Gemini sign. Former Dharmadhikari of Badrinath Bhuvan Chandra Uniyal said that as per the tradition of South India, whenever Jupiter changes its sign, Kumbh is organized. Every year Kumbh is organized in different rivers. Every 12 years, when Jupiter enters Gemini sign, Pushkar Kumbh is organized at the confluence of Saraswati river located in Mana village. Most of the people of Vaishnav community live in South India. They believe in Lord Vishnu. For this reason, Pushkar Kumbh is organized in Badrikashram area.
