Kumbha Mela- History & Religion; Astronomy & Cosmobiology

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Subas Rai began his scientific career in the discipline of Palaeo-environmental archaeology at the Banaras Hindu University. With time, his deep curiosity and penetrating insight led him to explore subjects covering ancient as well as modern science and technology. His academic interests range far and wide, and he has published dozens of research papers in reputed journals, both national and international.

Since 1980 she held the post of Lecturer, then Reader, Professor and Dean (Faculty of Visual Arts) and retired in 2012 after holding the post of Dean of this faculty. Under her direction many of the research scholars have completed their PhD. and some of them have done their Post Doctoral Research Fellowship U.G.C.

An analysis of the genesis, symbols and merits of the Kumbha indicates that the legendary Parva (Amrit Kumbha) and the Mela named after it presents inseparably two different aspects of Indian life. The attributes of the former refer to philosophical Kumbha that could only provide the spiritual benefits. The merits of the latter, on the other hand, are related to spatio-temporal bioeffects of the planetary radiations, particularly of sunspots, lunar phases and other cosmic bodies in conjunction with the bath benefits from the concerned rivers. To provide greater antiquity and validity to the latter, the mythological symbolisms of the former were attached with it, however, in course of time. In the confounded origin of the Kumbha, thus the elements of macrocosm, such as, planets, gods, demons, milk ocean, Kumbha sites, etc., represent their counterparts i.e. plexus and system in the microcosm (body) i.e. that involve in arousal of the serpentine power. Thus the legendary origin of the Amrit Kumbha refers to the arousal of serpentine power by celebrating the Kumbha Parva of the microcosm with the help of various elements. The Mela of the macrocosm, on the other hand, represents the scientific religion of Hindus.

It deserves mention that these twin aspects of the Kumbha have not been analytically studied so far, and all the previous writings are generally ambiguous and misleading due to their confounded treatments. To trace the origin and ascertain the antiquity and to understand the significance of the twin aspects of the Kumbha, it is, therefore, essential to analyse the things related with the Kumbhas. The first part of the present study is a humble attempt to deal with the origin and antiquity of both facets of the Kumbha, and to explain the spiritual symbolism as reflected by the elements of the Mela.