Maha Kumbh Festival

The Kumbh Mela, or fair is rumoured to be one of the largest congregation of sages, yogis, ascetics, mendicants, men, women and children on the planet.

¤ The Holy City of Allahabad

Allahabad is located at the confluence of the rivers Yamuna and Ganga. The city is one of the most revered pilgrim centres in the country and has a rich mythological dimension woven into its name. Legend has it that the mythical Saraswati River flows in the recesses of the earth, and joins the Yamuna and the Ganga in Prayag Raj, the ancient name for Allahabad. The confluence of these holy rivers, known as Sangam, is considered a most sacred place for the Hindus. They believe that after they die and are cremated, they would attain moksha, or freedom from the endless cycle of birth-death-rebirth, if their ashes are immersed at Sangam.


¤ The Origin of Kumbh Mela

Allahabad, along with Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik, is one of the four cites where the Kumbh Mela is held once every 12 years. The origin of the Kumbh Mela goes back to the mythological story of the Sagar Manthan or 'Churning of the Ocean'. Legend has it that once all the devtas, or demigods were under a curse that made them weak in body and mind. They were advised by Brahma (Creator in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) to drink amrit, or the elixir of life. But amrit could only be obtained by the churning of the ocean, which, needless to add, was no mean feat.  Now the question arose as to how to go about churning the gargantuan ocean. Lord Vishnu (the Hindu Preserver of the Universe) came up with a solution saying that Mount Meru could act as the churning stick, while Vasuki (the mythical serpent) could be used as the coil around Meru. Pleased with the suggestion, the devtas went to the asuras, or demons and sought their help in accomplishing the formidable task. The devtas’ promise to share the amrit with the asuras tricked the latter into consenting to tug Vasuki from one end.  

Thus ensued a phenomenal churning that, however, threatened to destroy the three worlds (Heaven, Earth and Hell). The gods simply could not let that happen, so Vishnu appeared in the guise of a giant tortoise or Kurma (Vishnu's second incarnation) and stabilised the churning by acting as a base under Mount Meru. It is said that eventually, spectacular treasures emerged from the great ocean including Laksmi the Goddess of Prosperity and Wealth, Sura the Goddess of Wine, Chandra, or the moon, Apsaras, the celestial nymphs, Kaustabha, the precious gem of Vishnu, Uchchaishravas, the divine horse, Parijata, the wishing coral tree, Kamdhenu, the wish-fulfilling Divine Cow, Airavata, the four-tusked white elephant, Panchajanya, or the conch, Sharanga, the invincible bow, and Dhanvantri, Nimi and Bharadwaj - the physicians and surgeons. 

Then appeared Halahala, the deadly poison, that had to be extracted before it could spell doom across the universe, and finally emerged the Amrit Kumbh, or pitcher of amrit. The mighty Shiva (the Destroyer of the Universe) stepped in to consume the poison as he was the only one who had the capacity to contain Halahala.  Shiva drank the poison but kept it in his neck, perhaps to prevent the poison from entering his stomach. Ever since, he has been nicknamed Neelkantha or the blackneck. Meanwhile, in order to prevent the asuras from consuming the amrit, the devtas took the priceless pot and fled, with the asuras trailing behind in pursuit. Eventually the asuras caught up with the devtas who, in turn, decided to take on the asuras. It is believed that in all this melee, a few drops of amrit fell from the pot on spots that are the present-day towns of Nasik, Ujjain, Haridwar and Allahabad, rendering indestructible and sacred for all times to come. 


¤ Auspicious Day For The Holy Dip

The most auspicious day for the holy dip is the day of the revered saint Amavasya, when the banks of the Sangam are flooded with devotees to as far as the eyes can behold. Other sacred days marked by celebrations are Makar Sankranti, Magi Poornima, Paush Poornima, Basant Panchmi, and Maha Shivratri. (Hindus consider the period when the sun enters the zodiac known as Makar or Capricorn as most auspicious and beneficial, and rejoice and pray on the day of Makar Sankranti. Paush Poornima celebrates the first harvest, while Basant Panchmi marks the onset of spring at the end of harsh winters, and is celebrated with the worship of Saraswati the Goddess of Learning. Maha Shivratri is a festival that commemorates Shiva's marriage with Parvati his consort). 


¤ The Occurance of Last Kumbh Mela

The last Kumbh Mela took place in Haridwar in 1998, while the previous Kumbh Mela at Allahabad (Prayag) was held in 1989. The latter was recorded as the largest assembly of people in the history of mankind drawing over 35 million people. Without doubt the Mahakumbh is an event of epic proportions. Saffron-clad, ash-smeared yogis raise their hands towards the heavens as the age-old and omnipresent hum of mantras, or sacred verses, chants and hymns, the din of prayer bells and cymbals, and the symbolic blowing of conches make for a befitting orchestra. A celebration of the esoteric and the popular, the Mahakumbh that brings the countries spiritual dimension to the fore, is a rush, and could lay siege to one's senses. 


¤ Ardh Kumbh Mela

The Mahakumbh is interspersed with the Ardh Kumbh Mela that takes place once in six years, whereas the Magh Mela is held annually in the Hindu month of Magh, around January or February on the banks of the Sangam except during the years of the Kumbh Mela and the Ardh Kumbh Mela. 

During the period of the Kumbh Mela, a tent city comes up for over a month to provide shelter to thousands of devotees. Several Hindu religious organisations set up camps during this period. Folk theatre groups enact different stories and scenes from Hindu religious texts in different patches of the mela grounds. This period of retreat is called Kalpavas, and those who submit to its exigencies are known as Kalpvasees. All these holy fairs commemorate the struggle between the gods and demons over the kumbh of the elixir of life, and draw innumerable crowds in quest of the definitive cleansing of the soul before entering the realm of god.