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KUMBH MELA

Kumbh Mela is the greatest riverside religious festival of Hindus that takes place once every three years. However, the major Maha Kumbh Mela occurs once in 12 years. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu saved the elixir (Amrut) from the demons and gave it to the vassal gods, called Devas, in a pot. The Devas rested the pot at each of the four cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nasik. A few drops of Nectar are supposed to have spilled over on the water at these four places and sages, saints and pilgrims started periodically to flock to each of these 'Tirthas' to celebrate the divine event.  This is the reason why this festival is celebrated only at these four places on a rotation basis. The Sangam at Allahabad is the holiest as three rivers - Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati converge there. It attracts millions of devotees and visitors from all backgrounds. Scores of ash-covered holy men and sages known as rishis and sadhus, in all shapes and sizes, flock to the centre of the Mela. Thousands of devotees take a holy dip in the river that is believed to purge them of their sin.

 Recorded history is witness to the fact that the Kumbh festival has been celebrated since even before the second century BC. The first written evidence about it was scripted by the Chinese traveller Huen Tsang. His texts, dating back to the 7th century, mentions the presence there of the Buddhist and Jain monks as well as the Hindus.

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