Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela derives its name from the immortal - Pot of Nectar - described in ancient Vedic scriptures known as the Puranas. Kumbh in Sanskrit language means 'pot or pitcher'. Mela means 'festival'. Thus Kumbh Mela literally means festival of the pot. Or in this case a festival celebrating the appearance of the pot of nectar.

Kumbh Mela is attended by millions of people on a single day. A ritual bath at a predetermined time and place is the major event of this festival. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men/women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardized. Kumbh Mela (especially the Maha Kumbh Mela) is the most sacred of all the Hindu pilgrimages. Thousands of holy men/women (monks, saints, sadhus) grace the occasion by their presence. The suspiciousness of Kumbh Mela is in part attributed to the gathering of thousands of holy men/women at one place on earth
The Maha Kumbh, the biggest and the most auspicious fair, which falls once every 12 years, is always at Allahabad, for the Sangam or confluence of rivers is considered to be particularly holy. The last Maha Kumbh was held in 2001 attracting over 25 million people. When the particular configuration of the Kumbh at Allahabad falls on a Monday, it is called the Somvati Amavasya and the spiritual benefits are believed to increase manifold. The Kumbh Mela is followed by the Ardh which takes place every three years.

Hundreds of devotees brave the weather and tough conditions to reaffirm their faith in the almighty and endorse the tenacity of their religious and cultural philosophy!

Kumbh Mela Cities
Kumbh (Kumbh means pot) Mela is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage that takes place at the following four locations of India:

• Prayag (near the city of Allahabad, in the state of Uttar Pradesh) at the confluence of three rivers Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Saraswati
• Haridwar (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) where the river Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas
• Ujjain (in Madhya Pradesh), on the banks of Ksipra river, and
• Nasik (in Maharashtra) on the banks of Godavari river

Rituals
The main rite performed at the mela is the ritual bath. Hindus believe that a dip in the sacred waters on the auspicious day will cleanse them and their ancestors off all evil and sins, thus ensuring their salvation or freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth. This ritual is performed on the banks of the sacred river. People submerge their body completely in the water and offer prayer to the sun. The most auspicious day for the ritual bath at Kumbh is on the day of the new moon.

Sadhus: The Main Attraction
A major attraction of the Mela is the ascetics and sadhus who are an integral part of the Kumbh. They are revered by the Hindus who attend the Mela. The most conspicuous sadhus at the Kumbh are the Nagas or naked sadhus who smear their bodies with ash and sport long matted hair. The eyes of the Nagas are usually red with the intake of charas and ganja, which is also considered to be one of the means of attaining siddhi (greatness).