The Kumbh Mela is a holy pilgrimage festival that takes place in four sacred
cities of India. They are: Prayag (Allahabad), Hardwar, Nasik and Ujain. The
main bathing days are known as ‘Shahi Snans’ or royal bathing
days. Taking a holy dip at the Kumbh is considered to be the sacred of all
holy traditions. All pious Hindus hope to take bath at least once in their
lives. Kumbha Mela is truly a celebration of spiritual and religious
practices that has ultimate effects on the entire humankind. Purifies one
from the sins. In Search of Salvation
All the pilgrims are eager to get purified of their sins and it is believed that even the prayers are answered, if performed at the exact auspicious time. The milieu at the Kumbh Mela attracts millions of people from all over the country and the world. People from all walks of life assemble to take a holy bath including ‘sadhus’ with ash-smeared bodies, robed saints, hymn-chanting priests, yogis and preachers etc. There are villagers, astrologers, foreign tourists, Indian expatriates and various other kinds of pilgrims. They all wish to get cleansed away of their sins seeking salvation and liberty from reincarnation through holy bathing rituals. The planetary positions are said to medicate the holy waters turning them into nectar on the auspicious days.
The Ancient Origin
The Kumbh Mela derives its name from the pot (or ‘kumbh’) of immortal ‘amrit’ from Hindu mythology. The ancient story of the Kumbh originates from a Hindu myth that speaks about the churning of the ocean by the gods and demons to achieve the pot of nectar that would give them immortality. As the pot of nectar appeared, fierce fighting started among the gods and the demons. This made some drops of immortal nectar splash on the earth at four places. These places were Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik, making them the important holy centers for Kumbh Mela.
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