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History of Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is believed to have the largest congregation of ascetics, yogis, sadhus, sages and common men living on the planet Earth. People from all across the country assemble here to observe this famous Mela, but very few are aware about its origin & history. The observance of Kumbh Mela is embedded in Ancient India, to the Vedic period. In Hindu mythology, its origin is found in the Hindu theories of evolution, the Samudra Manthan episode (Churning of the ocean of milk), which finds mention in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

The fair is a primitive one and the reason it is held can be traced back to the ancient episode of 'Sagar Manthan' or 'Churning of the Ocean' that is described in the ancient Vedic text of "Çrémad-Bhägavatam".
The story revolves around the fight between demons and Gods for the nectar of immortality. The origin of Kumbh Mela can be traced back to the Vedic period, when the deities and demons arrived at a consensus to work together in the task of churning "amrit", i.e. the nectar of immorality from the Ksheera Sagara (the primeval ocean of milk). It was decided that the nectar would be shared amongst all on an equal basis. To know the complete story, read further.

When the Kumbh or the pitcher full of amrit appeared, the demons played a mischief and they escaped the place with the nectar. The Gods also followed them and fought with demons in the sky for acquiring the pitcher of amrit. The battle went on for twelve consecutive days and nights, which was equivalent to 12 human years. It is said that during the war, a few drops of amrit fell on the earth at four distinctive spots, namely Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. These are those four points or locations, where Kumbh Mela festival is celebrated four times in every 12 years.

Kumbh Mela has a lot of importance for people in India, as it gives them an opportunity to liberate themselves from the sufferings and wash away all their sins (karma). Kumbh Mela is believed to be the largest gathering of ascetics, yogis, sadhus, sages and common men living. People from all over the world assemble here to observe this famous Mela. It is strongly believed that by taking holy dip in river helps to wipe out all the sins and the cycle of rebirth, bondage and death ends.

The sacred Hindu scriptures stress on having the guidance of a spiritual leader who has acquired the knowledge of the self. both hearing from sadhus (holy men) and sacred bathing are still the two main purpose of the pilgrims thronging Kumbh Mela.

First written evidence of the Kumbha Mela was found in the accounts of Chinese traveler, Huan Tsang who visited India in 629 -645 CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana. He mentioned the mela in his books as he was amazed by such huge gathering. By 1977, the number of pilgrims attending Kumbh Mela had grown to a record 15 million! By 1989, the attendance was approximately 29 million - nearly double that of the previous record. The 1998 Kumbh Mela saw over 10 million pilgrims visiting Haridwar, to take a dip in the holy river, Ganga. Around 1 million people from outside of India and from around the world participated in the 'Maha Kumbh Mela' at Prayag (Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh in 2001, with planetary positions that repeat only once in 144 years. Today, around 60 million people is said to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela, making it the largest gathering anywhere in the world.