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Ardh Kumbh 2007

Ardh Kumbh Mela is celebrated once in every six years after the hosting of Maha Kumbh Mela festival, the celebration of which takes place after every twelve years.Ardh Kumbh Mela has been drawing more and more crowds year after year. Pilgrims visit this religious mela for the cleansing of their soul.

"Ardh-Kumbh commences when Jupiter begins to come into Taurus and the sun as well as moon are in Capricorn -- and that happens only once in six years," pointed out Prof Ram Naresh Tripathi, a well-known Allahabad-based scholar of Sanskrit and Hindu mythology.

The festival of Kumbha Mela is truly a spectacle of faith.

Like its bigger counterparts (Purna Kumbh Mela, Maha Kumbha Mela) and smaller counterparts (Magh Mela) the purpose of organising Ardh Kumbh Mela is to commemorate the legend of the struggle between the gods and demons over the Amrita Kumbha (pot of nectar) and draws innumerable crowds who believe in the Hindu Puranas and come in quest of purifying their soul before entering the realm of god. The main Kumbh is the day of Mauni Amavasya. Other important bathing days are Makar Sankranti, Paush Purnima, Vasant Panchmi, Maghi Purnima and Maha Shivaratri.

The majority of the population consists of saints and sadhus, mainly Naga sadhus, who are given special preference and security for dips. Some of these sadhus perform uncommon acts like standing on their heads for a long time or piercing themselves with objects before bathing.
The timing of the festival is governed not merely by Hindu mythology, but is also guided  by astronomical configurations.The water is considered to be charged positively by enhanced electromagnetic radiations of the Sun, the Moon and the Jupiter, the flux of which also varies in accordance to positions and the phases of the planets.

The festival of Kumbha Mela is truly a spectacle of faith. Plenty of religious Hindu organizations set up their camps. Different theatre groups come in the forefront and enact plays that depict scenes from the religious scriptures of Hindus. The story of war between the demons and deities for obtaining the nectar is acted out, which brings out the significance of conducting Kumbh Mela. Thousands of police and volunteers work day and night to ensure smooth pilgrimage for all.