History of Kumbh Mela

India celebrates many religious festivals, but none of them matches the greatness of the Kumbh Mela. This religious festival ranks among the biggest gatherings of people anywhere on earth at a given time.

Kumbh Mela is not celebrated for any gods or goddesses, but to celebrate a unique celestial and astronomical event that takes place in the Hindu calendar.

The history of the Kumbh Mela goes back 2000 years when the earliest Kumbh Mela was held in medieval India.

Millions of people gather during the Kumbh Mela and celebrate with great festivities, bathing rituals, and cultural events.

The Samudra Manthan Legend

To know about the history of Kumbh Mela, you must read about the mythological legend of Samudra Manthan.

According to the ancient Indian Puranas (sacred texts), gods and demons churned the Kshir Sagar (Ocean of Milk). Many precious gems and other magical things came out of the ocean.

But the most powerful was the Amrut Kumbh. This was the pot that contained the Nectar of Immortality. The gods snatched the pot and ran for 12 years.

The nectar spilled at four places and these places became very holy sites of Kumbh Mela.

Four Holy Places of Kumbh Mela

The Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years and this is called Maha Kumbh. The drops of Amrit (Nectar of Immortality) fell at four places in India, and these are Haridwar, Nashik, Prayagraj, and Ujjain.

The Kumbh Mela is held here every once every 12 years. Millions of people from all over the globe gather here during the Kumbh Mela. They have a holy bath in four major rivers of India. These are Ganga (Haridwar), Triveni Sangam (Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswati) at Prayagraj, Godavari at Nashik-Trimbakeshwar and Kshipra at Ujjain.

These are not just ordinary rivers, but the holiest rivers of India. They are so holy that it is a ritual to have a dip in these rivers and chant prayers. By doing this, a person can free themselves of all their sins.

Kumbh Mela – a mix of culture and religion

Kumbh Mela is not just a religious festival, but also a cultural extravaganza. The holy dip is the major ritual of this Kumbh Mela. But many other things happen during the Kumbh Mela.

Processions of sadhus take place as they go for Shahi Snan.

It is the best time for tourists as they can go on boat rides, visit temples, take part in spiritual lectures, taste local cuisine, and have a holy dip in the rivers.

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