Ujjain (AsiaNews) - On the banks of the sacred river Kshipra,in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of Hindu faithful on the planet has begun. The month of celebrations, from 22 April to 21 May, it is expected to attract around 50 million pilgrims who come from all over the country to make ablutions in the river and break free from the cycle of rebirths.
The local Church has opened the Pushpa dispensary to provide medical treatment to the pilgrims in case of need. Speaking to AsiaNews the director of the structure, Fr. Anthony, said: "All the pilgrims are children of God. They are to receive the blessing of the gods. Being at their service is an act of grace for the Catholic Church ".
The Kumbh Mela is one of the most popular Hindu festivals. It is celebrated every three years in rotation in four Indian locations (Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik), where the holy rivers of the Hindu religion are located.
The celebration includes immersion in the river water, prayers, songs and meetings. This year the celebration takes place in Ujjain, where the Mahakaleshwar temple, which houses one of the 12 Jyotirlingas found across the country, the phallic symbol representing the god Shiva.
In addition to the citizens, all 13 Akharas of the country are participating. These are the schools that form seers and holy men. The state government has deployed 22 thousand agents to ensure the safety of the event, including police and security officials from other departments.
To meet the medical needs of this huge mass of people, Msgr. Sebastian Vadakkel decided to open the Catholic dispensary. Fr. Anthony says: "The Catholic Church is at the service of pilgrims. Four doctors, six nurses and two assistants work at our clinic. All treatment is completely free of charge".
