The Bath of Spirituality - Kumbh Mela

What it really is?

Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage where millions of Hindus gather at the “Sangam”, a meeting place of the worshipped rivers Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati, at ‘Prayag’ where bathing for purification of sins is considered highly auspicious.
The festival is referred to as largest gathering of earth where in 2001, about 40 million people gathered on the busiest 55 days.

• First bath for Kumbh Mela is said to be done in 1894.
• In 2001, when Mela was held at Allahbad, about 70 million people took dips in the auspicious rivers washing away their evils.
• In 2007, more than 30 million people attended “Ardh Kumbh” at Prayag.
• In 2010, when Kumbh was held in Haridwar, more than 10 million people took bath on the occasion of Makar Sakranti (14 Jan, ’10).
• CBS Sunday Morning, an American show, referred Kumbh as “Largest Pilgrimage on Earth : one of the most extraordinary displays of faith drawing tens of millions of people”.

Naga Sadhus at Kumbh Mela



Kumbh Mela Allahbad

Types of Kumbh

Ardha Kumbh Mela – Held at Haridwar, and Prayag (every 6 years)
Purna Kumbh Mela – Held at Prayag (every 11 years).
Maha Kumbha Mela – Only at Prayag(once in 144 years)

Most Auspicious Days

· 14 January 2013 (Monday) – Makar Sankranti
· 27 January 2013 (Sunday) – Paush Purnima
· 6 February 2013 (Wednesday) – Ekadashi Snan
· 10 February 2013 (Sunday) – Mauni Amavasya Snan (Main Bathing Day)
· 15 February 2013 (Friday) – Basant Panchami Snan
· 17 February 2013 (Sunday) – Rath Saptami Snan
· 21 February 2013 (Thursday) – Bhisma Ekadashi Snan
· 25 February 2013 (Monday) – Maghi Purnima Snan

The Myth

When the Gods were about to lose their strength because of the curse forced on them by a sage whom they disrespected, they approached the great Lord Vishnu. He advised them to get Amrit which would come out by churning the ocean of milk. The Amrit could get back the strengths and brings immortality to the Gods.

This was huge task and the Gods needed help from the keens and enemies. When the rare Amrit came out, the Gods did not want to share it with the demons and they were chased by the group of demons. It is believed four drops of the nectar fallen on earth at different places during the chase. These places are Haridwar, Ujjain, Allahabad and Nasik. This is the reason why these four places have been ranked as holiest places.

Kumbh 2013 Figures:

- About 1.1 Crore (11 million) people visited Kumbh on 14 January 2013
- This Kumbh is expected to attract about 10% more people as compared to previous Kumbhs.
- About 19 million people are expectes to visit the venue on Basant Panchmi (15 February 2013).
- More than 7,000 soldiers have been trained and set on the spot to handle mishaps.
- About 750 special trains have been started for the sole purpose of Kumbh.



“It is wonderful, the power of a faith like that, that can make multitudes upon multitudes of the old and weak and the young and frail enter without hesitation or complaint upon such incredible journeys and endure the resultant miseries without repining. It is done in love, or it is done in fear; I do not know which it is. No matter what the impulse is, the act born of it is beyond imagination, marvelous to our kind of people, the cold whites.” - Mark Twain