Seers light fire of Kiva Kumbh at Parmarth camp

Allahabad: The Kumbh Mela on Thursday witnessed opening of Kiva, an ancient South American tribal ceremony, at Parmarth Niketan camp. The inauguration marks the beginning of Kiva Kumbh Mela, a four-day ceremony aiming to unify ‘ancestral’ cultures for the protection of holy rivers of the world.
“Together, the western and eastern spiritual leaders will create an action plan for the protection of holy rivers with an underlying theme of unity. During the ceremonies, the river Ganga will symbolically represent all the rivers of the world from which we take water,” said Chidanand Saraswati, president of Parmarth Niketan.

The Ganga, like all rivers and other water bodies, must be protected from perishable wastes and any kind of residues, he said.

Among others, around 32 elders from Abya Yala (Americas), including Marakame Alfonso Gonzalez from the Wirrawika tribe of Mexico, Lorenzo Izquierdo of the Arhuaco Nation of Colombia, and Martina Mamani Arosquipa, a Quechua leader of Peru, are attending the ceremony.

These spiritual leaders ceremonially initiated a Kiva fire that will burn continuously on the banks of the Sangam at Parmarth Niketan camp for four days. A kiva is a room used by Puebloans, the native Americans in south-western United States, for religious rituals and political meetings, many of which are associated with the Kachina belief system. Kivas are square-walled and underground and are used for spiritual ceremonies.

During the Kiva Kumbh Mela, each day will commence with early morning ‘temazcales’ (sweat lodges), followed by ceremonies and prayers around the Kiva fire. Each evening will close around the Kiva fire followed by sweat lodges. In this way, the sweat lodges will allow the participants to carry the energy and power of the sweat with them throughout the day, said a participant.

Other activities would include sacred chants in various languages, dance circles, Ganga aarti, distribution of sacred food and cleansing of beaches along the Sangam.

Blessing the gathering, Swami Chidanand Saraswati said: “We use different languages, we have different terms and different words but our traditions of offering elements of the earth to the divine through fire, air, earth, water and ether is so similar that it reminds us of the teachings from our scriptures that ‘Truth is One, although sages call it by different names’.” Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati welcomed the tribal leaders and global participants.

“It is wonderful that on the banks of the Sangam, where our three sacred rivers bind together, our sisters and brothers of so many countries bind into a divine sangam (confluence) of love and oneness for world peace and environmental protection.”