Swami
Viswesha Tirtha Maharaja
kumbha mela gurus
As dusk fell on the kumbha mela, thousands of campfires illumined the river bank. In the central festival area, colorfully decorated sandals (large tents) accommodated the thousands of pilgrims who listened to some of india's most exalted gurus lecturing on the science of self-realization. In one pandal, Shankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swami of Shivakanchi spoke on Brahman, the first stage of transcendental knowledge. In another pandal, Swami Viswesha Tirtha Maharaja of Udupi lectured on the Dwaita philosophy of Madhvacharya, emphasizing the eternal individuality of the atma (soul) and the Paramatma (Supersoul). In yet another pandal, the Gaura bhaktas, who follow Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, discoursed on prema, transcendental love of Godhead, the highest goal of life.
Guru
of Dwarka Puri
Some
pandals (large tents) housed Indian drama and classical dance groups,
whose exotic costumes and performances attracted large audiences. Other
pandals housed elaborate displays and dioramas illustrating stories
from India's ancient epics like the Ramayana and Mababharata. The
variety of things to see and do were endless.
