Day 9: Let’s Talk About Penis — Part 2 (Kumbh, Ujjain)
Hello! If you have come here without reading the first part of this blog, then I recommend you read it first (Here).
Also, do read up my blog on Introduction to Kumbh Mela (I would suggest you do, to understand this one better).
So from Bhutan, I would directly jump a little closer to home, bang in the middle of it actually. Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh is home to Kumbh Mela that receives crores of pilgrims and nagas every 12 years. A naga is saint who has renounced the worldly norms that also includes clothing. Nagas reside in the Himalayas and the only time you see them congregate in a large number would be during the Kumbh Mela. They are followers of Lord Shiva, so all through the Kumbh, you will see naked men with dreadlocks and a trishul in one hand, and more often then not, a beedi in another one walking around or just chilling in their assigned tents. Also, these nagas cover themselves with white powder (I have been told it’s the ash taken from the cremation ground, I am not so sure about that.)
As an outsider, and you will always feel that way in Kumbh, it took me a while to not stare at these people, first out of shock then out of sheer amusement at their ease with the nakedness.
In a society, where modesty is judged by what you wear, Kumbh Mela certainly defies the societal norms.
And it is not just with the nagas, even people who have not renounced the world, but come to take a dip in the holy water of the Ganges barely make an effort to cover themselves up and its a wet t-shirt contest, except its middle aged and old ladies letting their boobs hang (in some cases quite literally) out there for everyone to see. Now this baffles me, because India is known for shaming women for dressing “inappropriately”, but come to the ghats of any holy river, and and you would find men and woman not giving two hoots about clothes or even remotely look conscious about their bodies.
With finally coming in terms with this scene in front of me, two question did pop-up in my head. Where do they the confidence of letting it all out for the world to see, no matter how well built or out of shape these guys are, no matter how big or small their organ is, they just don’t care! In a way it is very refreshing to see so many people around who so secured with themselves. The other was a slightly tricky question to ask but I had to know! Do none of these sadhus get an erection…EVER? The answer to that was “NO”…well atleast if you were not fake. Through rituals (which I will include in my next blog) and self-control, these sadhus, sworn to celibacy, do not suffer any erectile accidents and more importantly, I did not have to witness it.
Nagas are the integral part of the Kumbh Mela, and I still have a few stories about them to share, but for now I will just leave you with this photograph.
