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Kumbh Mela, 2010 Haridwar Kumbh Mela, 2010 Haridwar
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Kumbh Mela 2013, Allahabad

Mahakumbh Mela - Allahabad

The Kumbh Festival – 2001 at Tirthraj Prayag began on the full moon night (Purnima) of the month of Paush. The Kumbh Festival is held at Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years, but the Kumbh at Prayag has a special significance. The Kumbh Festival is marked by the fact that it is held at the banks of holy rivers every 12 years. In Prayag it is held on the banks of the rivers Ganga-Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, in Haridwar at Ganga and in Nasik at the Godavari. A great fair is held on these occasions on the banks of these rivers with a huge congregation of devoted pilgrims.

The literal meaning of Kumbh is a pitcher, but its elemental meaning is something else. Even as a symbol of pitcher, Kumbh is synonymous with holy activities as in daily life a pitcher (or kalash) is an integral part of all sacred activities in Hindu culture, and this pitcher is a symbol of Kumbh. Holy scriptures say that in a pitcher, its mouth (opening) symbolizes the presence of Vishnu, its neck that of Rudra, the base of Brahama, all goddesses in the center and the entire oceans in the interior, thus encompassing all the four Vedas. This itself establishes the significance of the Kumbh as symbolized by the pitcher.

Main Bathing Dates of Kumbh Mela 2013, Allahabad


Maha Kumbh Mela - 2010, Haridwar

About Allahabad
Allahabad is built on a very ancient site of the Aryans formerly known as Prayag. It is located at the junction of the holy rivers Ganga and the Yamuna. The city acquired its present name in one of largest religious gathering in the world, is held every 12 years at the confluence of the holy rivers attracting millions of Hindu devotees. This historically famous city was a centre of the Indian Independence movement and the home of the Nehru family. Today Allahabad is a rapidly growing commercial and administrative city in Uttar Pradesh.

The Kumbh Mela
The Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth is held every 12 years on the banks of the 'Sangam'- the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. The Mela alternates between Nasik, Allahabad, Ujjain and Haridwar every three years. The one celebrated at the Holy Sangam in Allahabad is the largest and holiest of them. The Mela is attended by millions of devotees including Sadhus. A holy dip in the sacred waters is believed to cleanse the soul. The Sangam comes alive during Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh with an enormous temporary township springing up on the vacant land on the Allahabad side of the river.

The legend goes thus- the gods and the demons fight for a pot of nectar (Amrit Kumbh): the nectar of immortality. Lord Vishnu, disguising himself as an enchantress (Mohini), seized the nectar from the demons. While fleeing from the evil ones, Lord Vishnu passed the nectar on to his winged mount, Garuda. The demons finally caught up with Garuda and in the ensuing struggle, a few drops of the precious nectar fell on Allahabad, Nasik, Haridwar and Ujjain. Since then, the Kumbh Mela has been held in all these places, alternately, every 12 years.

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