Code # HWB Holy-water bottle

Water is the element the festival celebrates. And pilgrims need, of course, to take the holy water of the Ganges back home with them - for religious rituals. Ganges water is high on the items needed for most Hindu rituals - for purification. What could be more holy than the Ganges water from the Kumbh site?

White plastic bottles are available everywhere around here. A bottle may cost anywhere between ten to thirty-five rupees - depending on the size. We recommend Rampati’s shop-on-a-boat situated at the main Triveni Ghat. She has special Kumbh bottles- each emblazoned with a snappy Kumbh Mela logo. Just the right thing to carry your holy water back safe and sound.

Code # GP Pictures of Gods and Goddess

A picture of a God or Goddess is a must in a Hindu household. Flowers and incense sticks are offered to it. You will find them in Ganga Devi’s Picture-Perfect shop - on the Sangam Marg. She may not have the pictures of all the three hundred and thirty thousand Gods, but her collection is definitely worth a look. The most popular are of Lord Shiva and Goddess Saraswati. They are framed with the finest plastic available to Ganga Devi so that they last for the next twelve years. The prices are highly reasonable.

Code # RL Religious Literature

Though nearly half of Indians cannot read or write, religious literature is still immensely popular. The best sellers are highly illustrative stories from Hindu mythology - Dinesh Kumar Singh has the best collection in the town - as far as we know. His shop is situated bang opposite to the Lost & Found camp. Prices may vary with the quality of paper and the thickness of the book.

Code # B Beads

Beads are recommended for your mental peace. The real ones, they say, ensure peace and happiness. Shanti’s bits and beads shop has collection that boasts of beads from as far as Nepal. They are available in different shapes, colours and sizes. Look out for the rare Rudraksh - seed of a holy tree. Her shop can be found anywhere in sector 5 - depending upon your luck and the police. They have been found hounding her out wherever she sets up her shop. Prices may depend on your appearance. Our advice - go shabbily dressed.

Code # CC Chillum (Indian smoking pipe)

Chillums are used to smoke tobacco - But Sadhus (Indian holy men) also use them to smoking our world-renowned varieties of Cannabis. It’s supposed to be illegal to smoke cannabis in India, but believe us, no-one raises an eyebrow at the Kumbh -Hukum Chand’s Charas Chillum shop is next to the police check-post in sector 5. He sells clay chillums for under 5 rupees. Bigger ones - community chillums - can cost a little more.

Code # CS Conch Shell

Hindu rituals are seldom complete without the reverberating sound of the conch shell. It’s s a sacred sound and presumably the Gods love them, though blowing one and getting a note from it is a bit of an art Sheela’s shell shop is situated near the Hanuman temple. Sheela refuses to quote a price unless you are an assured buyer. But she has been heard asking eighty rupees for the one featured here.

Code # T Tattoos

The souvenirs featured above are guaranteed to offer many years of pleasure - but this one is truly permanent in nature - It promises to last as long as your body does. Tattoos of Gods and Goddesses are the most popular, but remember, getting your own name tattooed on your arm could help you if you are separated from your parents or suffer from amnesia. Mukesh Gir’s tattoo trip shop may not be a permanent one but he makes excellent tattoos. And he may be offering just one colour - black - but he’s got some good patterns in his design book. He may be found wandering around in the Mela area. The cost will depend on the design.

P.S. Mukesh Gir is unaware of a deadly disease called HIV/AIDS.

The current exchange rate is 68.5 Rupees to the pound ,and we recommend heavy bargaining.