The Kumbh Mela is described as the largest congregation of the faithful. It is simply amazing that in the absence of any formal invitation or announcement, millions and millions of pilgrims congregate every three years at the appointed date and have a holy dip to cleanse their sins. The original aim of the Kumbh included defence of the Hindu society and deliberate upon the challenges facing it. Even today, the sadhus carry their traditional weapons to the Kumbh. Unfortunately, the social significance of the Kumbh has been largely forgotten with time. The Shabarikumbh is a step towards rekindling the social significance of the Kumbh Mela.
On 11, 12 and 13 February 2006, an estimated six-seven lakh Hindus will gather at a remote area in Subir, Dang district, Gujarat and resolve to work for the defense of Hindu society in general and the vanavasi/tribal Hindus in particular. It was at this very spot that Shabari Mata met Sri Rama and Sri Lakshman when they were in exile. The sustained conversion activities carried out by Christian missionaries with the help of their foreign masters has altered the religious demography of large parts of our country. The tribal areas of our country are a special target of this missionary offensive. This has caused self-alienation among the tribals and fanned separatist and terrorist activities. The Shabarikumbh has been organized to deal a death blow to such anti-dharmic and anti-national activities.
Holding such a massive congregation in such a remote area bereft of basic amenities is a logistical nightmare. However, thousands of Hindu activists have gathered under the banner of the ‘Shri Shabarikumbh Samaroh Samiti’ Hundreds of Hindu dharmacharyas including vanavasi sants have lent their whole-hearted support to the Shabarikumbh. The success of the Shabarikumbh is a foregone conclusion considering the single-minded devotion, planning and co-ordination of lakhs of Hindus.
January 3rd, 2006 at 6:28 am e
I do not understand what this thing is going about. I only understand that land of tribals and the pristine nature of Dang is being compromised with for this purpose. I have read several articles about how numerous trees were fell and lands acquired forcibly for the purpose.
Does this purpose justify destroying nature and forcing tribals out of their homes?
January 9th, 2006 at 2:49 pm e
This is a great news for the year 2006.Hindus across the country and across nations should unite and uphold “Hindu Dharma” .I pray for a peaceful and successful event.
Best wishes/prayers for the success of Shabrakumbh.
January 11th, 2006 at 10:13 am e
I like Indian festivals (including the Kumbh Mela). As a tribal Christian girl from Norheast India, I was attracted by Bollywood representations of Hindu festivals. But I hate religious chauvinist who portray themselves as saviors of the tribals. I dislike American type of Christian fundamentalists, and any religious fanatics in organised religions like Hinduism and Islam. Tribal culture and indigenous festival deserves to be preserved and celebrated. The patriarchal aspect of tribal tradition (or for that matter Christianity or Hinduism) is the only problematic part.
February 11th, 2006 at 11:29 pm e
In many ways, this Shabri Kumbh has similarity with Hinglaj (BJP leader Jaswant Singh undertook a recent journey). It also shows difference between Hinduism and revealed fundamentalist religions like Xtianity/Islam.
Like Hinglaj, Shabri was at periphery of Hindu religion, a local God. But with the help of Sanskritization process, they were co-opted into larger Hindu pantheon of God, given respect. This was reaching out and absorbing localised gods/ideas. Many prominent Hindu Gods like “Kali” is a import from Indigeneous faiths. In contrast, Islam and Xtianity sought to expand through conversion, erasing people from their past, culture.
Hindu way of reaching out may be called today’s coalition politics in India. Xtian/Islamic way can be compared with Hostile takeover like L N Mittal’s! Nodoubt, hostile takeovers leave residual bitterness. Babri demolition is just one such example.
The real rub is: This Kumbh is going to a regular affair! Ardh-Kumbhs at regular interval will also be organized there after. A Steady stream of religious tourists will be visiting this place. Its a master plan by those who believe in using real meaning of Hinduism in fostering community bonding by coopting Culture.
There is no way it can be stopped. It shows how innovative one could be to stop the menace of Conversion amongst under-privileged people of Asia by Xtian Missionaries/Evangelicals funded from Abroad.
Xtian converts in these areas will be reconverted to Hinduism slowly but surely. It should also be a pointer to Xtian Activists that using Press does not help their case. They have no tool to counter this on the ground, because their basic idea is replace peoples myth/histories and convert them.
They should seriously look into their fundamentalist claim: that path of Christ is the ONLY way, all others are condemned to hell. They have done TOTAL destruction of indigeneous culture in Europe, Americans, parts of Africa. They should leave Asia, the last bastion of Paganism. SHOW SOME MERCY TO INDIGENEOUS GROUPS!
Good Job RSS! A real, innovative one!
February 11th, 2006 at 11:30 pm e
Please also provide the Video Clips of the Shabri Kumbh to this website.
February 11th, 2006 at 11:49 pm e
Amir Patel compained about tree failings etc (above post). I have have been following Shabri Kumbh in the press very closely. I have no doubt this is being concocted by our Self-hating Hindus with islamist and Missionary Activists in Indian English Media. They have hidden the fact that all local Tribal Kings have supported this.
Indian Press is always giving Anti-Hindu spin, giving view of Missionary Activists. Why English media never told us when these missionaries were converting these vanavasis with allurement? Why they are breaking the law when Supreme Court of India barred the Conversion through allurement in 1979?
You will find regular bashing of Narendra Modi or whoever enacting Anti-Conversion law in different states. What these Missionary friendly Indian English media will NEVER tell you: ITS MANDATED BY Supreme Court. Its perfectly legal in India to stop frudulent Missionary Conversion by enacting laws.
We call Gandhiji as father of the nation. But these English Press never tell us Gandhiji was TOTALLY against Conversion. Every Indian leaders, whether Swami Vivekanand, Dayanand Saraswati, Bankim Chadra Chattopadhyay ……..were VERY MUCH AGAINST Conversion.
Question to be asked to Missionaries: WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS TO HINDUS? BECAUSE WE ARE GULLIBLE? WE DO NOT BEHAVE LIKE MUSLIMS? Swami Vivekanad asked Xtian Missionaries the same question: You are converting Hindus because we do not resort to violence like Muslims?
Conversion MUST Stop. J&K Police filed a case against “Bible Society of India” few days back in Kashmir where they were delivering goods for Conversion!
Missionaries MUST be sternly told: Stop Abusing Hindus, their culture. Do not take advantage of passivity of the Hindus. Stop Conversion. Missionaries have totally destroyed indigeneous culture in Europe, Americas, parts of Africa. They should leave Asia.
March 13th, 2006 at 7:23 pm e
It is very sad that We the Hindus are not free to do what ever we want to do and missionaries can do their deeds without any criticism.
August 7th, 2011 at 11:46 am e
Commeing