Triveni Sangam: The Conflux of Three Sacred Rivers

Triveni Sangam, Confluence, Rivers, Sacred

Triveni Sangam: The Conflux  of Three Sacred Rivers

Triveni Sangam is the "confluence" of three major rivers; The Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswati River in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. The world's largest human gathering is held at the confluence of three sacred rivers, out of them Saraswati River is believed to be mythical. Sangama is derived from the Sanskrit word which means confluence. In Hindu tradition the point this confluence is believed a sacred place for Hindus. To take dip at confluence point is said to flush all of one's sins away and one can free from the cycle of rebirth thereby achieving Moksha.

After every 12 years, masses of people come to this spiritual festival organized in India, the “Maha Kumbh Mela”, held at the Triveni Sangam. It’s one of the largest gatherings of humankind on Earth in recent festival over a three-month period, approximately 100 million people attended the 2013 festival. The gathering in this festively is so big, so that it’s superficially can be grasped from the outer space. It’s believed to be 2,000 years old ritual. But that’s not the only amazing thing about Sangam.

The “Triveni Sangam”, where the festival held, but is the gathering place of three most sacred rivers of India viz., The Yamuna, The Saraswati, and The Ganga (also termed as Ganges). These are the highly respected sacred rivers in India. The two rivers (Yamuna and Ganga) have different shades which maintain their visible identity. The Ganges is clear brownish, while that of the Yamuna is greenish and it makes them fascinating to sight.

However river Saraswati the third one is a mythical river according to records it was dried up many ages ago. Yet, to this day Triveni Sangam is believed to be the meeting place of three rivers. It is still believed that the Saraswati River flows beneath the surface. 

The meeting place of these sacred rivers is a very peaceful place that renovates into an “instantaneous city” when the time of “Maha Kumbh Mela” arrives into town and the periods of the celebrating Kumbh Mela is based on astrology, which diktats when the water of these sacred rivers will turn into nectar. There is this belief according to which it is believed that this nectar can turn mortals into immortals. Legend states that droplets of immortal nectar were fell at the Triveni Sangam during the mythological battle that fought between Demons and Gods. This is the reason why the place of confluence “Triveni Sangam” is considered to be so holy and the Maha Kumbh Mela is organized here.

According to atlasobscura.com, the “city” that was created in 2013 at Triveni Sangam involved 14 temporary hospitals which were staffed with 243 doctors, and are more than 40,000 toilets alone. Where, for the security of their 50,000 officers were plotted & for all this approximately 650,000 jobs were created during the Mela.

The said place is of religious importance and is the site of, immersion of ashes of some national leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. These portrayals of the confluence of these rivers are present in some spiritual documents of Hindu mythology viz., the Rigveda, And the Puranas.

There are some more Triveni Sangams at different sites in the country viz.,

·         Bhagamandala (Kudala in Kannada)

A pilgrimage place in Kodagu district of Karnataka state situated on upstream of the river  Kaveri where the river Kaveri joins by two other tributaries, “The Kannike and The mythical Sujyoti river”.

·         Erode (Kooduthurai)

It is a Sangam in Erode  where 3 rivers confluence viz., The Cauvery, The Bhavani and The Amudha. All of these, The River Amudha is invisible and is supposed to flow underground and join the other two rivers from below. This is where he famous Sangameswarar is located.

·         Tirumakudalu Narasipura (Tirumakudalu Narasipura)

It is commonly known as T. Narasipura and is a panchayat town of Mysore district, Karnataka, Indian. It is the confluence of the Kaveri, Kabini and Spatika Sarovara or Gupta Gamini (a mythical spring).

·         Moovattupuzha (Moovattupuzha)

It is meeting point of Kali river (Kaliyar), Thodupuzha river (Thodupuzhayar) and Kothamangalam river (Kothayar) and it then becomes Moovattupuzha river situated in Kerala.

·         Munnar (Munnar means three rivers)

Here occurs the joining of Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers in Malayalam and Tamil.

Literature Cited:

Triveni_Sangam at  wikipedia.org retrieved on 20 august 2018

The-triveni-sangam-allahabad-india at Atlasobscura retrieved on 20 august 2018