India is a land of festivals and there are many festivities and sacred occasions which tend to bring millions of people to one place. It is the strong devotion that drives people from different walks of life to come together and pray as one. One of such special experiences is the Kumbh Mela, which is held in four different locations after every three years. The Kumbh Mela is of religious importance to all the Hindus and is a bathing festival but it is open to each and every and large number of tourists from all over the world can be seen here during two months long Kumbh Mela at Prayag. This fair is organized in the Indian cities of Ujjain, Nasik, Haridwar and Allahabad.
Allahabad which is also known as Prayag is located in North India in the Uttar Pradesh state. Allahabad is held sacred as it is at the convergence of the three main holy rivers of the Hindus- the Yamuna, the Ganges and the mythical Saraswati. The Poorna or the Maha Kumbh which denotes the full Kumbh is held every 12 years while the Ardha Kumbh Mela is held once in every 6 six years at one place. Allahabad witnessed the last Poorna Kumbh Mela in January 2001 which witnessed the largest congregation of 100 million people.
The Kumbh Melas are held on sacred date which brings all the planets and stars together in a very auspicious position. On a Sacred date called Mouni Amawashya in winter season, which occurs in the month of January during Kumbh Mela total population of Mela region crosses 30 million, which is more than population of Australia. It is a world record, no other place in the world have ever seen such a big crowd.
Allahabad sees lots of radiant Himalayan saints, sadhus, sages, yogis and seers with some making a rare appearance only at this venue. On this date the holy waters of the rivers are said to turn into nectars and purify the inner self through the holy bathing rituals. Allahabad surely turns into a holy paradise during the days of the Kumbh Mela with the Vedic hymns, chiming bells, drums beating on the elephants, horses and camels and the procession of the naked saints from various orders in their chariots. The aura of the place mesmerizes all the tourists and the locals to feel the spirit and the essence of this once in lifetime event.
Held each August since year 1966, the Carnival of Notting Hill is the biggest festival commemoration of its sort in Europe. Each year the avenues of West London become vibrant, with the glitter of Europe’s leading street carnival. Twenty miles of lively colorful costumes encircle over 40 stagnant sound arrangements, numerous Caribbean food stalls, more than 40,000 volunteers and greater than 1million Notting Hill celebration revelers.
First started as a local fair by the local West Indian group of people of the Notting Hill vicinity, it has nowadays turn out to be a vigorous Caribbean carnival, catching the attention of millions of tourists from all around the globe. With so many amazing floats and the reverberation of the conventional steel drum bands parties, scores of colossal sound systems and not forgettable the numerous of stalls that flood the roads of Notting Hill. The Carnival is unquestionably London’s most exhilarating annual happening.
The Notting Hill Carnival by and large gets on the move on the Saturday along with steel band competition and Sunday is children’s Day. On Monday, the foremost parade takes place. Generally it embarks on Great Western Road, afterwards winds its way the length of Chepstow Road, then to Westbourne Grove and in the last Ladbroke Grove.
When the evening is in full swing, the floats depart the streets in traditional procession, and public carry continue celebrations at the lots of after parties of Notting Hill Carnival.
