Ujjain : People use to come at the holy city in every 12 years in search of nectar during Simhastha, but Ujjain’s Divisional Commissioner (DC) Ravindra Pastor is an exceptional officer in a sense that he has been elevated on the principal secretary (PS) cadre just before Simhastha-2016.
Pastor, a State Administrative Services officer and who was conferred the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) cadre in 1992, is a rare officer on whose cap being added one more feather in the form of promotion as a PS. He has been retained here itself in the same capacity of DC.
Ravindra Pastor, who was made Ujjain’s DC on August 19, 2014, was promoted as PS on Monday. He is the second promotee IAS officer after Dr Mohan Gupt, who got the PS cadre during their tenure at DC here. But, he is the first officer who has been elevated on such a high cadre soon before the mega international event.
When Free Press approached him on Monday evening, he was humbly accepting congratulations from his colleagues personally and from the well-wishers on his mobile phone. During Simhastha-2004, Chandra Prakash Arora, an awardee IAS, happened to be the DC, but he got retired soon after the event.
Dr Pastor, who is known for his excellent planning, easy approach and calm behaviour, was delighted on his achievement. During informal talk with this correspondent, he said that this Simhastha at Ujjain will not only be different vis-à-vis previous Simhasthas, but also from the Mahakumbha held at Haridwar, Allahabad and Nasik. According to him, Ujjain’s Simhastha would be a bigger event than the World Cup Football Championships or Olympic Games. “The month-long mega religious congregation will be extremely hi-tech and it will be proved as a mile stone so far as hosting such fairs is concerned,” he added.
Planetary Configuration of Kumbha: Pastor’s Funda
As per the stories Sun, Moon and Jupiter have played main role in saving the nectar pot that’s why position of these planets have main consideration for deciding the dates and time for Kumbha festival. The fight for nectar between Demigods and Demons was continued for 12 days and one day of Demigods equal to one year on earth hence this festival comes after 12 years. The fact of the matter is Jupiter completes one revolution of the zodiac in 12 years. Hence, it repeats its position whether in Kumbha or Simha in 12 years; that is why Kumbha festival is organised after every 12 years. Religious texts described about 12 Kumbha out of the four are celebrated on earth and 8 are in haven. For Allahabad, when the Sun in Makara or Capricorn and Jupiter is Vrasha or Taurus, there is Kumbha festival in Prayag in the month of lunar Magha. For Haridwar the Sun is in Mesha or Aries and Jupiter is Kumbha or Aquarius, there is a Kumbha festival on the bank of Ganga. For Nasik, when the Sun is in Simbha or Leo and Jupier is also in Leo the Kumbha festival is organised on the bank of Godawari. For Ujjain, when Sun is in Mesha or Aries and Jupiter is in Simha or Leo then the Kumbha festival is organised on the bank of Kshipra.
According to astronomy in 85 years Jupiter completed its revolution in 11 years only, due to this difference after every 84th year Kumbha will organize in the 11th year. Because Jupiter completed its path to cover all zodiac signs in 11 years 11months and 26 days only. Every 12 years 50.5 days less that become one year in seventh and eighth Kumbha that’s why every seventh or eighth Kumbha comes in 11 years.
