Kumbh Mela Dates 2015 (Nasik)-ॐ नम: शिवाय ψ

Kumbh Mela, the grandest of all gatherings is a commingling of millions of souls that come together to purge themselves before entering the heavenly realm of God; it is an open invitation, which is grabbed on like the very last opportunity by the devotees to deem themselves fit for an entry. It is held every three years in each of the four different locations - Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain, returning to each of the four places after a gap of every twelve years. Besides the regular Kumbh Mela, an Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela takes place six years after the Maha Kumbh in each of the location. And how it lands up in each location varies according to what position the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter hold in that period in different zodiac signs.

It comes to Haridwar when Jupiter is in Aquarius and Sun is in Aries during the Hindu month of Chaitra i.e. in the month of March-April. In Allahabad it is celebrated in the month of January-February when Jupiter is in Aries or Taurus and Sun and Moon are in Capricorn during the Hindu month of Magha. In the Hindu month of Bhadraprada (August-September), when Sun and Jupiter are in Leo, Kumbh Mela comes to Nasik. And Ujjain gets to organize it when Jupiter is in Leo and Sun is in Aries, or when all three are in Libra during the Hindu month of Vaisakha i.e. April-May. Below is a comprehensive list of Kumbh Mela dates with the names of the host cities.

Maha Kumbh Mela Dates

Kumbh Mela Dates 2015 (Nasik)
The Kumbh Mela to be held in Nasik in the year 2015 will commence on 14th July and will continue for a year, ending on 11th August 2016. Below is a table mentioning the important dates of the Kumbh Mela to be held in Nasik in 2015:

Date (2015)	Day	Event
14th July	Tuesday	Flag hoisting of the main ceremony at Ram Kunda
14th August	Friday	Flag hoisting of the Akhara at Sadhugram
26th August	Wednesday	Shravan Shudha- First Snan
29th August	Saturday	First Shahi Snan
13th September	Sunday	Second Shahi Snan
18th September	Friday	Third Shahi Snan
25th September	Friday	Bhadrapad Shukla Dwadashi - Vaman Dwadashi Snan

Pradosham-2015 ॐ नम: शिवाय ψ

	Date	Day	Paksha	Pradosha Puja Time
02	January	(Friday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	17:31 to 20:17
18	January	(Sunday)	Pradosh Vrat (K)	17:44 to 20:27
01	February	(Sunday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	17:55 to 20:35
16	February	(Monday)	Soma Pradosh Vrat (K)	18:07 to 20:42
02	March	(Monday)	Soma Pradosh Vrat (S)	18:17 to 20:47
18	March	(Wednesday)	Pradosh Vrat (K)	18:27 to 20:51
01	April	(Wednesday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	18:34 to 20:54
16	April	(Thursday)	Pradosh Vrat (K)	18:43 to 20:58
01	May	(Friday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	18:52 to 21:02
15	May	(Friday)	Pradosh Vrat (K)	19:00 to 21:07
31	May	(Sunday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	19:09 to 21:13
14	June	(Sunday)	Pradosh Vrat (K)	19:15 to 21:17
29	June	(Monday)	Soma Pradosh Vrat (S)	19:18 to 21:21
13	July	(Monday)	Soma Pradosh Vrat (K)	19:17 to 21:21
29	July	(Wednesday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	19:10 to 21:17
11	August	(Tuesday)	Bhauma Pradosh Vrat (K)	19:00 to 21:10
27	August	(Thursday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	18:44 to 21:00
10	September	(Thursday)	Pradosh Vrat (K)	18:28 to 20:48
25	September	(Friday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	19:00 to 20:35
10	October	(Saturday)	Shani Pradosh Vrat (K)	17:53 to 20:23
25	October	(Sunday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	17:38 to 20:13
08	November	(Sunday)	Pradosh Vrat (K)	17:27 to 20:06
23	November	(Monday)	Soma Pradosh Vrat (S)	17:20 to 20:03
08	December	(Tuesday)	Bhauma Pradosh Vrat (K)	17:20 to 20:05
23	December	(Wednesday)	Pradosh Vrat (S)	17:25 to 20:11

Shivakudumbam -Happier Individual , Family and Society -ॐ नम: शिवाय ψ

The socio-spiritual activities of the Shivakudumbam aims to inspire a better and happier individual , family and society. 
Inspire
one and all towards a better way of life through the humanitarian values of service, purity, discipline, love, tolerance, harmony, ..
Energize
its on-going efforts against dowry, smoking, drugs, alcohol and other destructive addictions.
Promote
harmony and peaceful coexistence among all communities through understanding and co-operation.
Develop
constructive and creative youth and children's activities to channelise their energy, promoting education and social services.
Sustain
the roots of Indian Culture and all the good that it stands for.

Your generous contribution to Shivakudumbam -ॐ नम: शिवाय ψ

Shivakudumbam  mission is to serve Hindu Dharma ,Sadhus,and devoties.  The cost of those activities is covered by offerings from who are doing spiritual practice, well wishers and volunteers.
Shivakdumbam temple work is progressing, Your participation in this noble venture is sure to earn for you the blessings of Lord Shiva Parvathi.Your generous contribution, kindly sendto the address given below.

Name: Krishnadas.k.r
Ac No: 67144699234
Branch : CALICUT - PUTHIYARA (70576)
IFSC Code : SBTR0000576
MICR Code : 673009009

Pradosham-2014 ॐ नम: शिवाय ψ

Date	Day	Pradosham	Paksha
13 January	Monday	Soma Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
28 January	Tuesday	Bhauma Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
12 February	Wednesday	Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
27 February	Thursday	Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
13 March	Thursday	Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
28 March	Friday	Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
12 April	Saturday	Shani Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
26 April	Saturday	Shani Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
12 May	Monday	Soma Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
26 May	Monday	Soma Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
10 June	Tuesday	Bhauma Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
24 June	Tuesday	Bhauma Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
10 July	Thursday	Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
24 July	Thursday	Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
08 August	Friday	Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
22 August	Friday	Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
06 September	Saturday	Shani Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
21 September	Sunday	Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
06 October	Monday	Soma Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
21 October	Tuesday	Bhauma Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
04 November	Tuesday	Bhauma Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
19 November	Wednesday	Pradosh	Krishna Paksha
04 December	Thursday	Pradosh	Shukla Paksha
19 December	Friday	Pradosh	Krishna Paksha

Sadhvis: the Holy Women of India - ॐ नम: शिवाय ψ

In contrast with the many young male sadhus, a beautiful young woman is but rarely seen in the brotherhood. About ten percent of sadhus are women, called sadhvis, but most of them are old, having become sadhvi after they were widowed.


This reflects the generally subordinate position of women in Indian society -- the popular belief is that women have to be born again as men before they can be spiritually liberated -- and the even more marginal position of widows.
Choosing the sadhu life was -- and still is -- about the only respectable way to escape from the 'living death' of widowhood. 1975
Sobhna Giri belongs to the Juna Akhara. 
She entered sadhu life when still a child and thus committed herself to life-long celibacy and other ascetic practices.
Nevertheless, since time immemorial there have been female sadhus. And quite a few have, like their male counterparts, chosen the sadhu life in their teens, convinced as they were of their spiritual predestination.
Quite a few sects do not allow women because the celibates fear their 'corrupting influences'; some sects are mixed, but then female sadhus usually have their separate quarters; some minor subsects are all-female.

Sadhvis of the Juna Akhara

Though generally speaking their position in the spiritual hierarchy is inferior to men, there have always been great woman-saints and female sadhus are treated with much respect -- being for instance addressed as 'Mataji,' that is 'Revered Mother'.
Long ago, sadhvis also walked around n‰ked.
One famous woman-saint – and poetess – who lived in the 12th century, wandered about just covered in her long tresses of hair. Mahadevi (‘great goddess’) as she was called, or Akka (‘elder sister’), fell in love with Shiva. 
At the age of ten, she was initiated into the worship of Shiva, whom she called ‘the Lord White as Jasmine’. And she roamed the land, a wild-woman, god-intoxicated, searching for her divine lover.
Mahadevi Akka Yakka.
Because of all her hair it's impossible to see whether she is n‰ked. The same artistic trick (caused by prudery) can be seen in the depiction of Mary of Egypt.

(In front are, incidentally, are the two deer first seen on the seal of the Horned God, 2500 BC!)

Santosh Giri Nagaji, a sadhvi belonging to the renowned sect of Naga-sadhus, smokes the chilam filled with tobacco and hashish.
Ritual nudity must already have been rare in Mahadevi’s days though, for it provoked unwelcome attentions from men, occasionally even attempts to molest her. 
But the practice didn’t die out completely, yet. A hundred years ago, John Oman met an almost naked sadhvi.
A poem by Mahadevi Akka Yakka.

Riding the blue sapphire mountains
wearing moonstone for slippers
blowing long horns
O Shiva
when shall I
crush you on my pitcher breasts

O Lord White as Jasmine
when do I join you
stripped of body’s shame
and heart’s modesty?
Gayatri Muni Bapu, an Udasin sadhvi

Vaishnavas - ॐ नम: शिवाय ψ

Vishnu is hardly worhipped as a god in his own right nowadays. It's his incarnations who are worshipped, especially Rama and Krishna.
But as far as Vaishnava sadhus are concerned it's mainly Rama who serves as their inspiration.
Rama
On the poster below Rama and Sita are surrounded by the main characters of the Ramayana and the main gods of the Hindu pantheon.
Kneeling before them is Rama's faithful servant Hanuman, the monkey-god and general of the monkey army.

The epic Ramayana, with its many exemplary adventures of Rama, is the primary source of inspiration for shaping the attitude of exclusive, one-pointed devotion to Rama which is the hallmark of a Rama devotee.
Rama plays an important part in contemporary Hinduism. He lives in the hearts of the common people. He rules the lives of sadhus devoted to him. For many sadhus, memorizing, analyzing, and absorbing the Ramayana is a life-time pursuit, and some become professional exegetes, reciting and interpreting the texts to the public.
It is believed that just hearing the sacred words of the Ramayana is in itself liberating and will confer the grace of Rama. And in an even simpler way, continuous recitation of the name of Rama from the heart will enlighten the soul. In fact, in this Dark Age, Rama's devotees regard it as the only way to reach the Absolute.
And if enligtenment does not happen in one’s life, it may happen at the moment of death, that is, if one dies thinking of Rama and with his name on one’s lips.
As it is chanted by the mourners in funeral processions:
“Rama nama satya hai!”, “the name of Rama is Truth.”

The Ramanandis
In the beginning of the fourteenth century, a very successful ascetic sect was founded by Ramananda: the Ramananda Sampradaya, popularly known as the Ramanandis.

Nowadays, because of its dominant position, it is regarded as a separate organization, but officially it is still part of the Shri Sampradaya, for Ramananda started his ascetic career as a member of this sect. He remained loyal to the philosophy of its founder Ramanuja, but he choose Rama and Sita as personal gods, and made devotion to them the central feature of the sect's religious practices.
Generally speaking, almost all Vaishnava sadhus are Ramanandis.
0779 There are quite a few different Vaishnava sects and they can be distinguished by the symbols painted on the forehead, but within a sect the marks are seldom entirely identical.
Most sadhus give it a personal touch. And some make more extreme variations on the fundamental theme.
The result can be quite impressive, as is shown by Hanuman Hari Das (right).
Bhagwan Das 
An elaborate tilak does not necessarily imply a higher status. Nor does it, by itself, reflect a higher degree of spirituality.
The Tyagis
An important subdivision of the Ramanandi bairagis (those whose practice 'dispassion', 'non-attachment') is known as the tyagis ('renunciants, hermits'). This section is also referred to as tapasi shakha, or ‘penance branch’, since they perform extreme tapas. They often reside separately from other Ramanandis in (or near) khak-chowks, an open square reserved for the ash-covered (khaki) tyagis. 
The mahatyagis or ‘great renunciants’ are the most extreme. They live without shelter and wear no clothing except a banana-bark loincloth; many keep silence, do prolonged fasts and practise hatha-yoga. Most tyagis keep a dhuni.
On the surface the difference between tyagis and nagas is negligible.
Baldeo Das (right), the founder of the Mahatyagi Kalsa, standing in front of his little hermitage, his hands in the tyaga mudra.
On both sides of the door hang potted tulsi plants. Evil spirits never come to place where a tulsi is planted; it is regarded as the meeting point of heaven and earth. Its tasty leaves—it is a kind of basil—form part of offerings and prasad, and out of its wood the beads of Vaishnava ‘rosaries’ (malas) are fashioned.
As a mahatyagi, or ‘great renouncer’, Seva Das (left) has taken a vow never to live indoors. 

In his temporary ‘home’ at the Kumbha Mela in Allahabad, he is fully exposed to the heat of the day and the cold of the night.
The Sakhis
Vaishnavas, i.e. sadhus who have chosen Rama or Krishna as their deity, are characterized by a strong, sentimental devotion and total self-surrender to one of his earthly 'incarnations' as the god-king Rama or the divine cowherd Krishna.
The deity is regarded as a 'person' with whom the devotee can establish an intimate bond, which usually takes the form of a Master-slave relationship.

Some sadhus, however, dare to regard him as their Lover, and since the deity is a male, it follows quite logically that they have to play the part of 'mistress' of the Lord. They are designated as sakhis. They imagine having an erotic 'love' relationship with him. Some sakhis even go to the extreme of pretending to have regular se+ual intercourse with their Lord -- except on the days when they're having their 'period'.
Obviously, the se+ual overtones of their behaviour make them rather suspect in the eyes of other ascetics, since repression of se+uality is the norm, not its projection. Even if this projection is aimed at a deity.
Nevertheless, it is a recognized way of expressing devotion to a deity -- and devotion is a characteristic of all sadhus.

A sakhi, who regards Lord Rama as her Lover.
These transvestite sadhus are to be distinguished from another group of transvestites, or rather eunuchs, who practise prostitution and obnoxious forms of begging.
The hijras, as they are known, are completely castrated upon initiation into their order. They are regarded as 'neither man nor woman', but they dress like women and affect exaggerated female mannerisms. As in almost all things Indian, there is a religious meaning to their voluntary mutilation and subsequent behaviour.

During Rama-festivals hijras may masquerade as sakhis in order to collect money.