“The Kumbh mela could only take place in India. At what gathering of one religion would you find such a variety of teaching, such an acceptance that there are many ways to God?” – Mark Tully, Author.
Kumbh mela is said to be the largest congregation of humanity to assemble for a religious occasion. And it is not difficult to see why?
Kumbh mela takes place when the planet Jupiter enters the sign of Aqurius and Sun enters Aries.
An estimated 70 million people congregated at Allahabad during the 2001 MahaKumbh.
The sadhus of the 13 prominent akharas (sects) have the right to bathe first in the Sangam on the days of Shahi Snan.
Every 12 years, crores of devotees congregate on the banks of the Sangam – the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati – in Allahabad, to participate in the festival. In fact, taking a dip in Sangam during the Kumbh is considered so auspicious among Hindus that it is believed to wash away the sins of countless births.
The origin of Kumbh mela can be traced to a story mentioned in Vishnu Puran (an ancient Hindu religous scripture). According to the story, the devas (angels) and asuras (devils)joined hands to churn the Ksheer Sagar (ocean of milk), with the objective of obtaining amrit (the nectar of immortality). However, when the kumbh (pot) containing the amrit appeared, a fight for the pot ensued. During this tussle, a few drops of amrit fell at four locations on earth. These places – Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik – became the locations for the Kumbh mela.
While the Kumbh mela is held at each of the four locations after every three years, the main mela – Maha Kumbh – is held at Allahabad every 12 years.
The major attraction at the Kumbh are the naked naga sadhus who come out in resplendent processions on the days of the shahi snan (royal bath), considered to be especially auspicious for bathing.
The Kumbh mela is an unparalleled spectacle, of people who are drawn to it by unquestioned devotion. Perhaps, that is why it is also referred to as world’s largest act of faith.
