Bansberia Kumbh Mela

This article is about Bansberia Kumbh Mela. For all Kumbh events around India, see Kumbh Mela.

Bansberia Kumbh Mela
Status	active
Genre	Fair
Frequency	Every year
Venue	Banks of Hooghly River
Location(s)	Bansberia, West Bengal
Country	India
Participants	Akharas, pilgrims and merchants

Bansberia Kumbh Mela, also known as Bansberia Tribeni Sangam Kumbha Mela, is a mela, or religious gathering, associated with Hinduism and held at the town Bansberia, West Bengal, India, at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Hooghly, Saraswati, and the Jamuna river. ^{[1] [2]}

The tradition of organizing the Kumbh Mela during Makar Sankranti (Magh Sankranti) at this site existed for centuries. In Raghunandan Bhattacharya's Prayaschitta Tattva, Tribeni is referred to as the Prayag of the South. After the Gangasagar Mela, saints and sages would travel on foot to Tribeni to bathe in its holy waters. Tribeni, along with Saptagram, served as a center of education, culture, and trade. However, during Muslim rule and the British era, the temples and pilgrimage sites of Tribeni were destroyed, leading to the decline of the Kumbh Mela tradition. ^[3]

History and Mythology

History

Some historians claim that the last Bansberia Kumbha Mela occurred in 1298 AD. ^[4] In 1979, researcher Alan Morinis mentioned Tribeni's holy bathing in Sankranti in his research paper submitted to Oxford University. The mela is also referenced in Bengali literature. After 700 years, the Kumbh Mela was revived in Bansberia Tribeni, in 2022. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

Mythology

According to Skanda Purana, King Priyavanta of Kashadwipa had seven children - Agnitra, Medhatithi, Vapusman, Jyotisman, Dutisman, Saban, and Bhavya - who made it through the hardships to achieve Siddhi. They built ashramas in seven villages in the vicinity of Tribeni Dham - Basudevpur, Banshberiya, Nityanandpur, Krishnapur, Devanandpur, Shivpur and Baladghati which are collectively called Saptagram, once famous trading ports. ^[4]

It is important to note that the significance of Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj and Tribeni Sangam in Hooghly is distinct. The ancient Saraswati River is ephemeral in Prayagraj which meets the Ganges and Yamuna, earning it the moniker 'Yaktabeni' while at Hooghly's Tribeni, Yamuna is ephemeral and the Ganges and Saraswati have freed here, known as 'Muktabeni'. ^[8]

References

1. "Kumbh Mela in Tribeni: West Bengal town gears up for major pilgrimage". Financialexpress. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
2. "Bansberia kumbh mela showcased in 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat". The Times of India. 1 May 2023. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 21 December 2024.
3. "West Bengal: Return of Tribeni Kumbh Mela after 700 years; was discontinued after Islamic invasion of Bengal". hindupost.in. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
4. Bharat, E. T. V. (6 February 2025). "After 1298, Bengali Kumbha Mela Returns To Hooghly's Tribeni". ETV Bharat News. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
5. মাঝি, সুমন (10 February 2023). "দীর্ঘ ৭০৩ বছর পর কুম্ভমেলার আয়োজন হুগলির ত্রিবেণীতে, সাজ সাজ রব". Eisamay Online (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 January 2025.
6. Bharat, E. T. V. (12 February 2023). "Triveni Kumbh Mela: 703 বছর পর কুম্ভমেলা বসল বাংলার ত্রিবেণীতে, সোমে শাহি স্নান". ETV Bharat News (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 January 2025.
7. "Kumbh Mela in Tribeni: West Bengal town gears up for major pilgrimage". Financialexpress. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
8. Biswas, Saikat. "Tribeni: A historical town of Bengal" (PDF). International Journal of Humanities & Social Science Studies: 126.