The Ultra Pilgrimages of India
In the Hindu religion the River Ganga [or as it is known more widely in the
West, the River Ganges], is very holy. Pilgrimage to the River to bathe to
wash away one's sins is a lifetime ambition for many Hindus.
Water taken from the Riber Ganga is used to cleanse any place or object
which is going to be used for religious ritual purposes. It is believed
that any water mixed with even the smallest amount of Ganga water becomes
holy with healing and other properties.
Many people in the Mombai [formerly Bombay] area run in the Yearly Religious
Pilgrimage in which they run to the River Ganga and then on foot carry Ganga
water to the temple nearest to where they live.
Some people do this as a relay, making up a team of 6 to 10 runners. They
are accompanied by a van, with the non-runners sitting in the following van,
waiting their turn in the relay. Often the distance of such relays may be
about 200 to 250km and the distance is covered in 18 to 30 hours. Others
like the Indian ultrarunning pioneer, Arun Bhardwaj, carry the water
around
180km to the temple near his home.
This running festival involves many people. Some undertake it as a religious
rite, as a form of worship, others for fun and to enjoy the food and fruit
juices.
Pilgrimage occurs in numerous cultures around the world. Perhaps the most
famous
Among ultrarunners are the multiday treks
of the so-called
Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei in Japan. Pilgrimage to Mecca is a pivotal part of
Islam.
In Western Christendom such pilgrimages on foot rwere made to the tombs of saints,
date back to at least the medieval period. One of the most famous of these is to
Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Such religious festivals or rites, involving worshippers covering long
distances on foot, have deep historical and cultural roots stretching back
to a time when the only way for ordinary people to travel was on foot, and
when ultra distance was an everyday
necessity, not a sport.
Such rites
Water from the Ganges is used to cleanse any place or
object for ritual purposes. Bathing in the river is believed to wash away one's sins.
To bathe in the Ganga is a lifelong ambition for Hindus and they congregate in
incredible numbers for the Sangam, Sagar Mela and Kumbh Mela festivals.
It is believed that any water
that mixes with even the smallest amount of Ganges water
becomes holy with healing powers.
yielded the waters, but Ganges retained the name
"Jahnavi".
Water from the Ganga has the
recursive property that any water
mixed with even the minutest quantity of Ganga water
becomes Ganga water, and
inherits its healing and other holy properties. Also, despite its many
impurities, Ganga water does not
rot or stink if stored for several days.
In the Hindu religion the River Ganga [ or as it is known more widely to Western people, the
River Ganges], is holy. Pilgrimage to the river to bathe to wash away one’s sins is a lifetime ambition for many Hindus.
Water taken from the Riber Ganga is used to cleanse any place or object
which is going to be used for religious ritual purposes. It is believed that any water mixed with even the smallest amount of Ganga water becomes holy with healing and other properties.
Many people in the Mombai [formerly Bombay] area run in the Yearly Religious Pilgrimage in which they run to the River Ganga and then on foot carry Ganga water to the temple nearest to where they live. Some people do this as a relay, making up a team of 6 to 10 runners. They are accompanied by a van, with the non-runners sitting in the following van, waiting their turn in the relay. Often the distance of such relays may be about 200 to 250km and the distance is covered in 18 to 30 hours. Others like the Indian ultrarunning pioneer, Arun Bhardwaj carries the water around 180km to the temple near his home.
This running festival involves many people. Some undertake it as a religious rite, as a form of worship, others for fun and to enjoy the food and fruit juices.
Such religious festivals or rites, involving worshippers covering long distances on foot, are not uncommon. Perhaps the most famous are the multiday treks of the so-called Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei in Japan. Such rites have deep historical roots going back to when the only way for people to travel was on foot, and when ultra distance was an everyday necessity not a sport.
We have many people here in that area who
run in the Yearly Religious
Pilgrim in which the devotees take water from the River Ganga and cover all
the way on-foot up to the destination (it can be varied because people take
the water to their residence-near temples, as I take it to the distance 180
km). Some people do it as a relay, they make a team of 6 to 10 runners. When
one runs other sit in the van and rotate one by one. Mostly the distance is
about 200 to 250 km and they cover it in 18 to 30 hours. Some run for fun,
some for faith and some only just for some juice and food + fun + in bonus,
some worship.