Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is a significant Hindu pilgrimage-based festival in which devotees and sadhu (Indian saints) gather to take a dip in a sacred river called the Shahi Snan. In this article, you will learn about kumbh mela, definition, history, types, places and other such facts providing key insights for GS Paper-I Art and Culture section of UPSC IAS Exam.

Table of Content

• What is Kumbh Mela?   
• Features of Kumbh Mela              
• Types of Kumbh Mela
• Kumbh Mela and places of celebration   
• Places where Kumbh Mela is held
• Conclusion         
• Frequently Asked Questions       
• Reference           

What is Kumbh Mela?

• Kumbh Mela is a significant Hindu pilgrimage-based festival in which devotees and sadhu (Indian saints) gather to take a dip in a sacred river called the Shahi Snan.
• The festival is the largest religious gathering worldwide.
• This festival is celebrated since 2000 years in India. 
• The first written account of the festival was found in the writings of the Chinese traveller Xuanzang, who visited India during the rule of king Harshavardhana.
• According to Hindu mythology, during the churning of the ocean, some drops of nectar of immortality got spilled over these four locations.

Features of Kumbh Mela

• The devotees believe that by bathing in the Ganga one is freed from their past sins (karma), and becomes eligible for liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
• There are 13 Akhadas in India having their own respective Presidents or Mahants.
• The respective Presidents of these Akhadas are the first ones who takes the dip in the holy river during the Kumbh, after that the proceedings of festival begin. 
• In 2017, UNESCO has recognized this festival as intangible cultural heritage.

Types of Kumbh Mela

• A Maha Kumbh Mela festival is held at Praygraj (erstwhile Allahabad) only after every 144 years or after 12 completefestival of Kumbh.
• Purna Kumbh Mela is celebrated after every 12 years at 4 Mela Places in India- Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain.
  • It rotates every 12 years at these 4 places.
• Ardh Kumbh Mela where Ardh means Half is held after every 6 years in India at only two places- Haridwar and Prayagraj.
• Magh Kumbh Mela or Mini Kumbh is held annually only at Prayagraj in the month of Magh of the Hindu Calendar.

Kumbh Mela and places of celebration

• The exact dates of Mela are determined on the basis of positions of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter in the zodiac.
• In Nashik and Ujjain, it is also known as Simhastha, while in Prayagraj and Haridwar, it is also known as Ardha Kumbh.
• The Kumbh at Prayagraj happens once in every three years after Haridwar’s Kumbh and three years before Nashik and Ujjain’s Kumbh.
• In Nashik and Ujjain, the Kumbh is celebrated in the same year or one year apart.

Places where Kumbh Mela is held:

Conclusion

Kumbh Mela of 2023 was held at Prayagraj (erstwhile Allahabad) between 6 January to 18 February by following the guidelines of COVID-19. Next or upcoming festival will be held in Prayagraj in 2025. The festival stands as one of the largest and most revered religious gatherings in the world, attracting millions of pilgrims and devotees from across India and beyond. The festival showcases India’s rich cultural heritage, traditional music and dance performances.

Ref: Source-1

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