The meaning of Kumbh Mela and why millions of devotees take part in the rituals across India
If you’re in the mood for a spot of armchair travel, behold the saga of the Kumbh Mela. One of the most sacred pilgrimages of Hinduism, it is currently in full swing in India. The festival, which has been inscribed on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, features colourful processions and prayers, with devotees travelling from across the world to dip themselves in holy rivers to absolve themselves of their sins.
The festival is held at four riverbank pilgrimage sites – Prayagraj (the confluence of the Yamuna, Ganges and the mythical Sarasvati), Haridwar (along the Ganges), Nashik (on the Godavari) and Ujjain (along the Shipra) – over the course of a 12-year cycle. That means the festival takes place at one of the four sites about every three years, although the dates vary, and are based on the Hindu calendar and the Zodiac position of Jupiter, the Sun and the Moon.
According to figures by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, in 2019, 240 million people visited the city of Allahabad during the 49-day Kumbh Mela, making this one of the world’s largest religious gatherings. Visitors come from across India as well as from abroad. The Kumbh Mela in 2019 welcomed about one million foreign tourists, the Indian state recorded.
The festival usually begins in January and can last for up to three months. It revolves around certain dates that are considered auspicious for the shahi snan, or main bathing ritual. This year, the first shahi snan, which translates to royal bath, was on March 11, and was followed by baths on Monday and Wednesday this week. The next one will take place on Tuesday, April 27.
The word kumbh is derived from kumbha, Sanskrit for pitcher, while mela stands for fair or festival. According to
Hindu legend, the event gets its name from the pitcher of amrita, or nectar of immortality, that was produced by the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons) together.
However, when the gods and demons started fighting over the kumbha with the elixir of immortality, the battle raged for 12 years. During the fight, four drops of the elixir were spilt on to the Earth, which became Kumbh Mela’s four sites where devotees now gather to cleanse and pray.
There are four types of Kumbh Mela. The traditional one takes place once every three years, alternating between locations in Nashik, Ujjain, Haridwar and Prayagraj. The Ardha (half) Kumbh Mela takes place once every six years and only in Haridwar and Prayagraj. The Purna Kumbh Mela is organised every 12 years. The last one was in 2010 in Haridwar.
The festival is held at four riverbank pilgrimage sites over the course of a 12-year cycle
Finally, the Maha Kumbh Mela takes place every 144 years, or after every 12 cycles.
One of the most significant aspects of the Kumbh Mela is the bathing ritual led by sadhus or holy men. Devotees attend day-long rituals that take place on the river embankments, where devotional prayers, known as aartis, are sung in tune to the beating of drums.
The religious bathing takes place every day, but the most auspicious time is on the night of the full moon. Devotees believe that bathing in the holy river on this night helps a person to achieve moksha, or salvation.
This year, Covid-19 regulations have curtailed the Kumbh Mela to only a month. The High Court of Uttarakhand has mandated that visitors carry negative PCR test reports, while other safety precautions include limiting the time for bathing. However, local media reported that authorities are struggling to contain crowds, with more than 2.8 million devotees turning up for the second Shahi Snan this week.