Mahakumbh: ‘Tilak on forehead, thick braid on head..’; Foreign teenagers influenced by Sanatan; Changed culture and rituals

Foreign child and teenage monks at Maha Kumbh – Photo : prime look

Maha Kumbh Mela: The drum of Sanatan Dharma is ringing across the seven seas, a living example of this in front of the world community are the child and teenage sanyasis who have come to Maha Kumbh. Many children and teenagers from America, Russia and Germany have changed both their culture and sanskaar after being influenced by Sanatan on the sands of Sangam.

Such teenagers are trying to understand Lord Shri Ram, Lord Shiva and Krishna on the sands of Sangam by applying tilak on their forehead, thick braid on their head and wearing pearl-Ramnani.

Dimitro and Daniel, who have come from Moscow, the capital of Russia, are taking sanyaas and taking a dip in the Sangam and reciting the verses of the Vedas. They are also learning the divine language Sanskrit in the presence of saints, so that they can pronounce the verses of the Vedas correctly.

Not only 11-year-old Dimitro and 13-year-old Daniel, more than 50 such foreign children and teenagers have completely adopted the Sanatan culture and become sanyasis by the time the two bathing festivals of Maha Kumbh have passed.

Tough lifestyle among the Kalpvasis
This foreign teenager is trying to understand closely everything from the tough lifestyle among the Kalpvasis to the Nagas’ practice of lighting a fire. In his camp in Sector-19, Dimitro wakes up at 4 am. Every morning, after bathing in the Sangam, he goes by rickshaw and worships the Sun God.
Learning the method of worship
He tells that he is learning the method of worship from Ramayan Tiwari, a resident of Deoria, who is doing Kalpvas. The 15-year-old son of entrepreneur Edamma, a resident of New York, America, Liam has also adopted Sanatan Dharma in the Maha Kumbh.

Liam kept a thick braid after getting his hair shaved at the Sangam
Liam, who came from New York in jeans, coat-pants, has now started wearing a white dhoti, wrapping it around himself and wearing Ramnami and has started meditating and chanting the Lord’s name. Liam has kept a thick braid after getting his hair shaved at the Sangam

Durga Chalisa, Hanuman Chalisa along with Veda Paath

He also goes to take a dip in the Sangam everyday by rickshaw. He is practising recitation of Durga Chalisa, Hanuman Chalisa along with Veda Paath. Similarly, in the camp of Mahamandleshwar Keiko Aikavya alias Kaila Mata of Japan, boys and teenagers from Russia, Japan and Nepal are immersed in meditation and sadhana as sanyasis.

More than 50 foreign boys and teenagers are meditating and sadhana as sanyasis in the disciples of Mahants and Mahamandleshwars of Juna Akhara. Many such teenagers are also bathing in the Ganga three times a day after becoming sanyasis. -Mahant Swami Vidyanand Giri, Panchdashnam Juna Akhara.

Mahakumbh is giving the message of unity, pavilions of 12 states built

The pavilions of 12 states built in the Mahakumbh area are giving the message of unity of India. Here the culture of states like Dadranagar Haveli, Nagaland, Leh, Chhattisgarh etc. is confluenced. The state government has sent invitations to people from the country and abroad for the Maha Kumbh. Invitations were sent to governors, chief ministers and ministers. Its effect is beginning to be seen.

Pavilions of 12 states have been built in Sector 7. The specialties of these states were displayed in them. A confluence of culture of Dadranagar Haveli, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, MP, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan is being seen along with Changlo of Nagaland, Shondol folk dance of Leh.

The pavilion of Madhya Pradesh is mesmerizing the audience with attractive presentations of tribal Bhagoria dance. This is a part of the Bhagoria festival celebrated before Holi by the tribal communities, in which colorful costumes, the sound of drums and the dance of the youth playing with gulal is making the Maha Kumbh even more special.