Ashkelon (Israel), April 22: Amid the soft sound of sea waves, a half-naked sadhu shouted ‘Alekh Niranjan’, another chanted ‘Namah Shivayah’ over microphone and thousands danced over the boom of huge drums. Dancing, singing, reveling, meditating and relaxing their bodies and souls, over 30,000 Israelis gathered last week for four days at Nitzanim beach on the Mediterranean to celebrate Boombamela, a festival modelled on the Kumbh mela.
The organisers said they were inspired by Kumbh and started the event in Israel three years ago. Many of the visitors at the festival have been to India or are planning to visit. A number of youngsters could be seen taking yoga classes and attending Hare Krishna lectures. Long queues were to be found outside the Indian ‘dhaba’ serving boiled rice and lentil soup. Middle aged couples, draped in Indian clothes, strolled the beach, young boys and girls drew circles on the soft sand while others surfed the morning sea.
‘‘The New Age festivals are finding increasing takers in this country reflecting the trend among Israelis to seek escape from the inevitable cycle of violence they see in this land,’’ said a professor of Tel Aviv University. ‘‘Nature, harmony, love, connection with people, togetherness and emotions are vanishing fast from our hectic and tense lives. May be people need to come to such events to seek all this,’’ said Danna, of Haifa University who plans to do a study on the New Age movement in Israel.
Searching for essence of life in esoteric and mystical philosophies, a number of Israelis get attracted to Indian philosophy and spiritualism like Tantra Buddhism, Shirdi Sai Baba and Osho Rajnish. India has become a popular destination among Israelis and over 25,000 people visit the country every year. (PTI)