Helicopter showers petals as Akhadas hoist flag on day 2 of Mahakumbh

Flower petals were showered from a chopper during the flag hoisting event, Dharm Dhwaja, of Akhadas on day two of the Mahakumbh fair in Haridwar, Uttarakhand

Flower petals were showered from a chopper during the flag hoisting event, Dharm Dhwaja, of Akhadas on day two of the Mahakumbh fair in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The auspicious ritual of Dharm Dhwaja was carried out at Bairagi Akhada’s camp on Friday.

Uttarakhand government helicopter showering flower petals at the religious flag hoisting at Bairagi camp. (HT photo)

This is the second time when chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat directed officials to do so. On March 11, Rawat had ordered flowers to be showered on pilgrims and Akhada seers in Haridwar on the occasion of the first Shahi Snan (holy royal dip) on Shivratri.

“We thank the state government for ensuring showering of petals through helicopters earlier during Shahi Snan of Maha Shivratri and now during the religious flag hoisting at Kankhal of Bairagi Akhadas. The occasion of dharm dhwaja marks the beginning of Kumbh fair for the said Akhadas. It’s a holy place under which spiritual benefit is accrued and devotees pay obeisance,” said Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri.

While Sanyasi Akhada’s religious flag was hoisted in March, the flag of three Bairagi Akhadas, which include Nirmohi, Nirvani and Digambar akhadas, was hoisted a day after the notification for Mahakumbh came into effect on Friday.

To mark the major occasion, saints representing all thirteen Akhadas, along with Kumbh mela officer-in-charge Deepak Rawat and Kumbh mela force Inspector-General of Police Sanjay Gunjiyal, were present during the flag hoisting.

As soon as the flag was hoisted, a chopper showered flowers on seers, devotees and tourists.

Shri Panch Nirmohi Akhada’s spiritual ideologue, Shri Mahant Rajendra Das, said that with the hoisting of the religious flag and offering of prayers to Lord Hanuman, Akhada activities related to the Kumbh fair will begin on a wider scale. Akhada seers, as well as followers, have already started arriving for the Kumbh fair at the Bairagi camp.

“First, rituals are carried out to worship mother earth (Bhoomi Pujan) after which the religious flag is hoisted. This is followed by offering prayers to the respective deity of all Akhadas. The religious flag remains throughout the tenure of Mahakumbh and is symbolic of the respective Akhada tradition, custom, presence and identity as well the Kumbh fair,” said Mahant Hari Giri Maharaj, international convener of Shri Panch Dashnam Juna Akhada.