The Kumbh Mela - Prayagraj (Allahabad)

Ardha Kumbh Mela or Ardh Kumbh Mela, the mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred or holy river, is all set to start from 15th January 2019 in Prayag, Allahabad. Held after every six years, this is the biggest and one of the most important religious gatherings in India. Ardh Kumbh Mela attracts devotees from across the world in order to wash off their sins by taking a holy dip at the confluence of the three holy rivers- the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

The Kumbh Mela or Maha Kumbh Mela, is held once in 12 years at four holy places by rotation, they are Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayag),Nashikand Ujjain. It has been mentioned on the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. However, an Ardh Kumbh Mela, mini versions of the event, is held every six years at only two places,Haridwarand Allahabad. The upcoming Kumbh 2019 edition is an Ardh Kumbh Mela and is all set to commence on the holy banks of Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, earlier called as Allahabad.

In Sanskrit, Kumbh means pitcher or pot. According to Hindu mythology, the gods were cursed and began to lose their powers. On the advice of Lord Vishnu, they churned the ocean of milk for Amrit in order to regain their power. Since the gods were few, they were forced to seek help from the demons. After twelve days of churning, they managed to create a pitcher of Amrit, but a fight soon broke out between the gods and the demons. To seize the Amrit from the demons, Garuda, the celestial vehicle of Lord Vishnu, took the pot and flew away. During his flight, he spilled accidentally few drops of nectar on earth at 4 places namely, Haridwar, Ujjain, Prayag (Allahabad), and Nashik.

The Kumbh Mela is said to have originated after this incident and is held ever since with a lot of zeal. It is believed that, during the time of the mela, the water of the river turns into holy nectar so the people who bath in the river during the auspicious dates are blessed by the Gods themselves and all their sins would be washed away.

The most important ritual during Ardha Kumbh is Shahi Snan or Royal Bath that is taken by the Saints of different Akharas in the sacred river before any other Hindu pilgrims. Ardh Kumbh Mela is a 48 days long celebration, marked with three holy dips . The first royal bath of the Ardh Kumbh Mela will be observed on the 15th of January, the second on the 21st January and the last bath will be observed on the day of Maha Shivratri on 4th March 2019. Hindus believe that people who bath in the river during the auspicious dates are blessed by the Gods themselves and all their sins would be washed away.

Attending the Kumbh Mela is an unforgettable and daunting experience for every traveller irrespective of caste, creed and region. Being the world’s most significant event, Kumbh Mela attracts millions of people .