Mahatyagi sadhus start rigorous ritual at Magh Mela

Mahatyagi sadhus— the followers of Lord Ram— began their ancient, longest and the most rigorous ritual in quest of salvation in the camps located at Khak Chowk area of Magh Mela tent city on Basant Panchami on Thursday

Mahatyagi sadhus— the followers of Lord Ram— began their ancient, longest and the most rigorous ritual in quest of salvation in the camps located at Khak Chowk area of Magh Mela tent city on Basant Panchami on Thursday.

Sadhus performing Dhuni Puja at Magh Mela in Prayagraj on Thursday. (Anil Kumar Maurya/HT)

Called ‘Dhuni Puja’, the Mahatyagis begin this ritual only on Basant Panchami festival. Its duration is four months for 18 consecutive years as even after leaving the religious fair, Mahatyagis continue to perform this ritual in their respective mutts and ashrams in Chitrakoot, Varanasi and Ayodhya among other places.

Preparations for the Dhuni Puja started in the morning. But it was at 12 noon that the actual ritual began. The seers sat under the sun inhaling smoke from burning cow dung cakes for 3-4 hours. While reciting mantras, they kept the fire alive all through the process. Some even placed burning cow dung cakes in a pot kept on their heads.

“The sadhus will continue performing the ritual at the places where they reside. If they succeed in completing the puja performed for 18 consecutive years, their status among the seers’ community takes a leap. The seers also pray for peace and prosperity of the country while performing the ritual. Prayagraj is the only city where these sadhus initiate performing the ‘Dhuni Puja’,” said Mahatyagi Manoharcharan Dasji.

According to Mahatyagi Sitaram Dasji, “Everyone can’t perform Dhuni Puja. It can be done only after a lot of practice. We start the puja on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami during Magh or Kumbh Mela at Sangam in Prayagraj. We then continue this ritual when we return to our respective ashrams.”

Mahatyagi is one of the sects of sadhus who perform extreme form of ‘tap (tapasya)’. They wear white clothes and survive on minimum food. Their main purpose of coming to Prayagraj is to perform Dhuni Puja.