Malappuram (Kerala)

Swami Anandavanam Bharathi on Saturday spoke about the Mahamagha Mahotsavam, which is like the Kumbh Mela of South India, and said it was being re-established in its glory days.

Speaking on the significance of the Mahamagha Mahotsavam here, the Swami told the story of a yajna conducted by Lord Brahma, after which the Bharata Puzha River was formed.

"In Kerala, there is an ancient tradition like Kumbh Mela about a Magha Mela. It is connected to the legend of Brahma's yajna. Brahma did a yajna for the prosperity of the land and his people. After that, for that yajna, in the leadership of Ganga Maya, all the Tirthas of Bharata came here and made a river. The river is called Bharata Puzha. The only river in Bharata, in the name of Bharata," Bharathi told ANI.

"It is a spiritual congregation comparable to the Kumbh Mela of South India. The festival is believed to have begun during the reign of Cheraman Perumal and later continued under the leadership of the Valluvakonathiri," he added.

Bharathi Maharaj said that the Mahamagha melas were shut during the British colonial era. However, after the nation gained independence, some efforts were made to revive the tradition, but it was still being celebrated on a small scale until last year.

This year, the Mahamagha Mahotsava is reorienting to become a much larger spiritual event to revive its ancient glory.

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"270 years ago, the British rulers stopped this event. After independence, some efforts were made to revive this tradition, and 2-3 programs were conducted, but unfortunately, they didn't have a continuation. From 2016, some local people have been doing Nila, Arathi, Punyasnaan and Yadi Sankam. A small event continuously taking place till last year. After Prayagraj Maha Kumbh, we decided to redesign this small event to a larger scale, for it to regain the ancient glory like Kerala's or South India's Kumbh Mela," he stated.

The Mahamagha Mahotsavam will be held from 18 January to 3 February. It is the only river festival in Kerala organised with the participation of the Hindu community from across the world.