Kumbh Mela

The story of kumbh mela finds its root in the myth and legends of the Puranas. It recounts the story of samudra manthan (churning of the ocean) - jointly by the Gods (dev) and demons (asur) to attain Amrita, the elixir of immortality. Soon after, a fight ensued and in the struggle, drops of the elixir fell on Kumbha Mela’s four earthly sites.

At special combination of zodiacal positions of Bṛhaspati (Jupiter), Surya (the Sun) and Chandra (the Moon), water of the sacred rivers near these sites are believed to turn into that primordial nectar, giving pilgrims a chance to wash away their sins and bathe in the essence of purity and auspiciousness.

Ardh Kumbh Mela

is held every 6 years

Purna Kumbh Mela

is held every 12 years

Kumbh Mela is held every third year at one of the four places by rotation

Haridwar

At the bank of River Ganges

Ujjain

At the bank of River Godavari

Nashik

At the bank of River Kshipra in Ujjain

Allahabad

At Triveni Sangam of river Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati

Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2021

Maha Kumbh Mela in 2021 will take place in the holy city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

The Importance Of The Kumbh Mela

Followers of Hinduism believe in Moksha. They believe that the Soul is immortal, and gets a new body after the death of its previous one. The end of this cycle of Birth and Rebirth is called Moksha. It is believed that Moksha is not easy to attain – but it is also believed that if you take a bath at a certain place during the holy time of the Kumbh Mela, you can attain Moksha.

Since more than 70% of the people in India are Hindus, the festival of Kumbh Mela becomes one of the largest festivals involving the gathering of the followers of Hinduism.

Apart from this, thousands of Monks are also initiated during this festival. Many famous Gurus also establish camps in the Kumbh Mela Area and give sermons to their followers. It also attracts thousands of such followers who stay longer than just a couple of days.

How The Kumbh Mela is Celebrated

The Kumbh Mela is mainly about taking a dip in the holy Ganga at an auspicious time, as it is believed that this can free a soul of all impurities, enabling it to attain Moksha. Such special, holy days are called Shahi Snans, when thousands of Sadhus are also expected to come to bathe in the Ganga. Famous spiritual leaders come to take a bath in the holy river along with hundreds of their followers. Akharas are given more importance during these special days. An Akhara is a kind of a monastery for the accommodation and training of Hindu monks. Thousands of monks are also initiated during the Kumbh Mela.

Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2021

Main Bathing (Snan) Dates:

Mahashivratri (1st Shahi Snan)

11th March Thursday

Somvati Amavasya (2nd Shahi Snan)

12th April Monday

Baisakhi (3rd Shahi Snan)

14th April Wednesday

Chaitra Purnima (4th Shahi Snan)

27th April Tuesday

Akharas at Kumbh Mela

13 Akharas in total

The Famous Akharas at Kumbh Mela Haridwar - Akharas of Hindu Saints and Sadhus in the Kumbha Mela

There are many kharas in Haridwar Kumbh Mela. The list of Kumbh Mela Akharas is given below :

Nirvani Akhara

Shri Panchayti Akhara Mahanirvani

Allahabad

Shri Panch Atal Akhara

Varanasi

Shri Panchayti Akhara Niranjani

Allahabad

Taponidhi Shi Anand Akhara Panchayti

Nasik

Juna Akhara

Shri Panchdashnaam Juna Akhara

Varanasi

Shri Panchdashnaam Avahan Akhara

Varanasi

Shri Panchdashnaam Panchagni Akhara

Junagarh

Digambar Akhara

Shri Digambar Ani Akhara

Sabarkantha

Shri Nirvani Ani Akhara

Ayodhya

Shri Nirmohi Ani Akhara

Mathura

Nirmal Akhara

Shri Panchayti Bada Udaseen Akhara

Allahabad

Shri Panchayti Akhara Naya Udaseen

Haridwar

Shri Nirmal Panchayti Akhara

Haridwar