Kumbh turns over a new leaf
When the Kumbh Mela ends in March, it will mark the beginning of a new chapter overseas.
A large number of foreign tourists, who have spent a few days in this biggest holy congregation in the world, will have turned over a new leaf — almost literally.
Ethan Martin, who has come from Nice in France, arrived at the Kumbh Mela on January 12 and in the past one fortnight he has turned into a complete vegetarian.
Ethan, who is staying in the camp of Pilot Baba, is now a volunteer in the kitchen that has been set up especially for foreign devotees.
“In the beginning, I was forced to eat vegetarian food because I could not get non-vegetarian food here. After about a week, I began noticing changes — both physical and emotional — in me. I became more relaxed, less aggressive and my blood pressure also came down. Now I actually look forward to eating vegetables and fruits. I am going to spend the rest of the month, learning how to cook vegetarian food. When I go back, I plan to start an eatery that will serve and promote vegetarianism,” he says enthusiastically.
Ethan, 37, has been divorced twice and works as a software expert in Nice. He came to the Kumbh Mela as a tourist and ended up being a devotee.
Similarly, Nina David from Ireland has also taken to vegetarianism. “When I came here, food was a major problem. At the camp, they gave us vegetables and fruits and told us to make whatever we wanted. I have been experimenting with all kinds of salads and now everyone is asking me for recipes,” she says as she serves a unique papaya, tomato and cheese salad and follows it up with cucumber juice and dates.
Nina, 31, says that she has survived without cereals since the past three weeks and her acne problem has already cleared up.
“This is magic and when I go back, I am going to tell everybody about it,” she says. Nina works as an intern is a publishing house in Dublin.
Ala and Barno is a young couple who have come from Moscow. The couple came to the Kumbh Mela as curious tourists wanting to see the kaleidoscope of Indian culture.
Barno, an alcoholic, was undergoing a de-addiction programme before he arrived at the Kumbh Mela.
“It was sheer luck that we did not get a hotel accommodation and ended up staying at a camp in the Mela township where we had no access to non-vegetarian food and alcohol. In the past 20 days, Barno has almost been cured of his problem and has no craving for alcohol. He now drinks two litres of milk everyday and relishes vegetarian food. It is almost a miracle that the Kumbh has cured him of a problem that was eating into family relationships too,” says an elated Ala.
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