As the final Amrit Snan draws to a close, the vast expanse of the Kumbh Mela, which for weeks had been a city of saints, devotees, and seekers, now echoes with chants of farewell. The air is thick with the fragrance of burning incense and the rhythmic beats of damrus as akhadas prepare for their departure-some heading to Kashi, others to their ashrams scattered across the country.
But before the saints part ways, a centuries-old tradition unfolds-a farewell feast of “Kadhi-Pakoda”. The massive tents that had once echoed with spiritual discourses and hymns are now filled with the sound of laughter, as ascetics, who renounce worldly pleasures, sit together for one last meal, relishing the simple yet sacred offering.
Among the first to leave are the Shiva-worshipping Shaiva Akhadas. Clad in saffron robes, their bodies smeared with sacred ash, they gather their belongings-kamandals (water pots), trishuls, and rudraksha malas-before bowing to their Dharma Dhwaja (spiritual flag), which will remain hoisted until Mahashivratri.
“This is not just a journey of feet, but of the soul,” says Mahant Avadheshanand Giri of Juna Akhada. “We come together like the waves of the Ganga, only to disperse again, carrying the sacred essence of Kumbh to the world.”
Following them, the Ani and Udasin Akhadas will take their leave. The sprawling tents, once bustling with activity, will soon stand empty, their footprints washed away by the sacred waters of the Sangam.
For the saints, Kumbh is not just an event-it is a homecoming, a grand confluence of devotion and discipline. Some have spent months in these camps, engaging in deep meditation, discourses, and rituals. The farewell is bittersweet, but the promise of reunion lingers in the air.
“We are wanderers, moving with the rhythm of time,” says Swami Shivanand Saraswati. “Kumbh is our anchor, a reminder that no matter where we go, the Ganga, the akhadas, and the faith will bring us back together.”
As the last lamps flicker in the akhada camps and the sadhus prepare for their onward journeys, one thing is certain-the spirit of Kumbh never ends. It flows like the sacred rivers, guiding the faithful until they meet again, two years later, at the Haridwar Ardh Kumbh.