A fortnight trip for New Zealand, Australia and Fiji residents
Venkat Raman
Auckland, November 10, 2024
The Hindu Council of New Zealand has invited New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji residents to join its ‘Pilgrimage to Bharat.’
The two-week spiritual journey, the second in a series, is being organised by the Hindu Council in collaboration with the Hindu Organisations, Temples and Associations (HOTA) Forum. It will be held from January 27 to February 12, 2025.
Hindu Council President Dr Guna Magesan, who is leading the proposed group, described the Pilgrimage as a ‘Transformative Yatra to explore some of the revered spiritual and historical landmarks of Bharat.’
“The spiritual journey will foster a deep connection with the Cultural and Dharmic Heritage of Bharat. Among the highlights will be the opportunity to be at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, the recently restored Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi and the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” he said.
Dr Magesan said that the Pilgrimage will incorporate ‘a meticulously curated itinerary bringing together spiritual, historical and cultural experiences.’
“This journey is open to 20–25 participants from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and Bharat. Beginning in New Delhi, the pilgrimage will include Kurukshetra, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Ayodhya, Varanasi (Kashi), Sarnath, Prayagraj, Vrindavan, Mathura, and conclude in New Delhi. Throughout the journey, pilgrims will have opportunities to deepen their understanding of Bharat’s sacred sites, guided by local experts who will share the history and significance of each location,” he said.
Refreshers
A Billion Rama Nama to commemorate Ayodhya Temple opening
Diwali resonates good health with prosperity of the mind and body
A new abode for Lord Rama in West Auckland
Hamilton joins the first global recitation of Ramayan verses
Rama Navami should ignite the inner spark of rediscovery
About the Kumbh Mela
Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela is a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism.
Celebrated once in 12 years, the Mela marks the revolution of Brihaspati (Guru or Jupiter) through the 12 houses in the Hindu Astrology.
Accounting for the largest gathering of humanity (about 400 million people are expected at the 2025 Festival), the Kumbha Mela is held in turn at Prayagraj (the Confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati Rivers), Haridwar (Ganges), Nashik (Godavari) and Ujjain (Shipra). The Festival is marked by a ritual dip in the waters and a celebration with numerous fairs, education, religious discourses rendered by Saints, mass gatherings of monks and entertainment.
Hindus believe that bathing in these rivers is a means to ‘Prayachitham,’ (atonement, penance or restorative action) for past mistakes or sins.
Photo by Ninara, Helsinki, Finland via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License
Kumbh Mela is credited to the Eighth-Century Hindu Saint and Philosopher Shri Adi Shankara who is revered for combining Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism and advocating the worship of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Shridevi and Surya, the Sun God.
According to a legend, Lord Vishnu was carrying a Kumbh (pot) of Amrit (Nectar) when a scuffle broke out and four drops were spilt and fell on Earth at the four Tirthas for Prayag, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain. Thirtha is a place where the devout can attain salvation.
While some historians argue that there is not much evidence of the Kumbh Mela before the advent of the 19th Century, scholars say that there is ample evidence in historical Hindu manuscripts and inscriptions that mass gatherings were held every six or 12 years to have a dip in the Sacred Rivers and participate in religious activities.
While the weeks over which the Festival is observed as a cycle at the four sites is approximately once every 12 years, the difference between Prayag and Haridwar Festivals is about six years. Both feature a Maha (major) Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela. The occurrence is based on the Lunar-Solar (Luni-Solar) system followed in Hinduism.
The years of occurrence in Nashik and Ujjain have been a subject of debate since the previous Century. The Festival in these two centres has been celebrated during the same year or three years after the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela.
Smaller Festivals
Smaller events are held to enable people to bathe in sacred rivers across the country.
These are sometimes called Magha Mela or Makar Mela.
In Tamil Nadu, the Magha Mela is held at the Mahamaham near River Cauvery (Kaveri) in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur District (about 280 kms from Chennai). Held every 12 years, it attracts millions of people who take a dip in the Mahamaham Tank. The next Mahamaham will be held in this city in 2028.
Other places where Magha Mela or Makar Mela is held include Kurukshetra and Sonipat (both in Haryana) and Panauti (a Municipal Town close to Kathmandu) in Nepal.
About Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya
The Spiritual Journey will include a visit to the famous Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which has lifted this small city in Uttar Pradesh as an important destination on the international aviation map.
The Pranaprathista (Consecration) Ceremony conducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22, 2024, was a moment of pride and satisfaction to hundreds of millions of Hindus in India and across the world.
Ayodhya is revered as the Birthplace of Lord Ram (Rama), an Incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
A Temple built during the 11th Century was destroyed during the Muslim era and a Mosque called, Babri Masjid was built during the years 1528-1529. The Mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992, by a group of activists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and allied organisations. This led to legal challenges and on November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict to give the land to Hindus for construction of a Temple for Shri Ram while Muslims were given land in a nearby location to build a Mosque. According to the verdict, the land was handed over to a Trust created by the Federal Government.
The Supreme Court ruled that, based on the evidence provided by the Archaeological Survey of India, there was a Temple beneath the demolished Mosque.
Mr Modi attended the Bhoomi Pooja (Ground-breaking Ceremony) at the site on August 5, 2020. He served as the ‘Mukhya Yajamana’ (Chief Patron) at the Consecration Ceremony.
While the next phase of construction is underway, Shri Ram Mandir has become an important destination for Hindus and tourists. Ayodhya can be accessed by road, rail and air.
The Ayodhya Airport, which is called the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham, has been developed at $280 million. The airport’s terminal has an area of 6500 sq m and will be equipped to serve about one million passengers annually. Colourful murals depicting different stages of the Ramayana and Lord Ram’s life adorn several sections of the airport. Several airlines operate flights to and from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad to cater to the thousands of people who are expected to visit the Ram Temple every day after the consecration ceremony. International destinations include Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Maldives, Nepal, Muscat, Kaula Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and Colombo.
Of the development works, projects worth more than $2.5 billion will make Ayodhya an international city, simultaneously developing the surrounding areas. These include a medical college, the Ayodhya bypass, a solid waste treatment and five parking and commercial facilities.
The First Experience
The inaugural Pilgrimage (March 14 to March 28, 2024) included the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir (where Mahamangala Aarti was witnessed), the Sacred sites of Lord Krishna in Vrindavan and Mathura, and Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
“The Pilgrims celebrated Holi with Temple priests and had the honour of a photo with Shri Ram Lalla at the Mandir. Other cherished experiences included a revitalising Yoga Session with Baba Ramdev at Patanjali Ashram in Haridwar, the Ganga Aarti with Swami Chidanand Muni at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh and a sacred dip at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj. They had an opportunity to interact with Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (then Minister of State for Rural Development) and Dr Chinmay Pandya, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar,” he said.
Those interested may contact Dr Guna Magesan on WhatsApp (+64 210345621) or email hindu.nz@gmail.com
About the Hindu Council of New Zealand
The Hindu Council of New Zealand was established in 1996 and formally incorporated in 2006 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Hindu culture, values, and traditions in New Zealand. Through various initiatives and events such as New Zealand National Hindu Conferences, the Annual Health for Humanity Yogathon, and Hindu Māori Hui, the Council strives to foster interfaith understanding, community cohesion, and spiritual growth among Hindus and the wider community.
