Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is a massive event among Hindus, when large number of Pilgrims assemble in a river bank and take holy bath in the river, with the faith that when one takes bath in these holy water fronts one wards off all the sins in life, which event occurs once every 12 years, with a reference as Purna Kumbh mela,meaning the ‘full kumbh mela’, while there is also similar event observed once every 6 years , which is called Ardh Kumbh Mela, meaning ‘ half kumbh mela’, the grand festival of Maha Kumbh Mela happening once in 144 years period, marking 12 observations of 12 Purna Kumbh Mela, which is organized at Allahabad where three holi rivers join together.

Kumbh Mela is not just another Hindu festival, like Diwali or Holi, but a ritual with lot of reverence, as the holi dip is in the merging point of sacred rivers, and Vedic texts have clarified that one who takes a dip in these points,

will have total liberation from the worldly sins, attaining Moksha or the release , while still they are living, a large number of common people besides sadhus and sacred persons in the form of saints assemble here with total faith and dedication, to take their holy bath in the uniting spot of sacred rivers, such as Prayag or Sangam where the Holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati merge, in these the river Saraswati has gone underground many centuries before.

Holy rivers that are included in this sacred ritual are Ganga at Haridwar, Godhavari at Nashik, Kshipra at Ujjain and Sangam of three holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati at Prayag spot of  Alahabad , Nashik having registered the maximum number of devotees , about 75 million, so far, and during these rituals, many sadhus come in saffron colored cloths with ashes smeared on the whole of body, some naga tribe saints walking around stark naked dabbing only ashes on their body in the severe winter.

HISTORY :

It is not exactly known since when did people begin to hold Kumbh Mela; it is widely known how this spectacle of faith has attracted the curiosity of foreigners across the world. The famous Chinese traveler Hiuen-Tsang was probably the first person to mention Kumbh Mela in his diary.

In the 8th century, the great Indian saint Shankara popularized the Kumbh Mela among the common people. With each passing year the fair began to be attended by more and more people.

Timeline of KumbhMela (Modern Times)

YEAR	PLACE
1980	Nasik
1980	Ujjain
1986	Haridwar
1989	Allahabad
1992	Nasik
1992	Ujjain
1998	Haridwar
2001	Allahabad
2003	Nasik
2004	Ujjain
2010	Haridwar