Kumbh Mela - Legends

The legend behind its commemoration quotes the rivalry between demons and demigods at the time of ‘Samudra Manthan’. It states that once upon a time demigods found themselves weak and felt deterioration in their strength. Helplessly they visited Lord Brahma and requested for directions. The lord showed them way to nectar by the process of churning the ‘Kshir Sagar’.

Abiding Him, demigods initiated the churning of Kshir Sagar with the help of demons under the agreement that the resultant treasure would be divided among them alternately. It was the turn of demons to receive the treasure when the divine physician ‘Dhanvantari’ appeared holding the pot of nectar. His arrival created turmoil among the demigods and demons as both of them wanted to grab the pot. Irritated by the tussle among them, Dhanvantari escaped to heaven in order to save nectar. It is believed that few drops of nectar fell at four different places on earth. Kumbh Mela is celebrated at Ujjain, Nasik, Haridwar and Allahabad in the remembrance of this incidence.