{"id":17055,"date":"2021-04-13T07:47:17","date_gmt":"2021-04-13T07:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wildvoyager.com\/blog\/?p=17055"},"modified":"2024-01-19T12:46:41","modified_gmt":"2024-01-19T12:46:41","slug":"all-about-kumbh-mela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wildvoyager.com\/dev\/blog\/all-about-kumbh-mela\/","title":{"rendered":"All about Kumbh mela"},"content":{"rendered":"

Out of all the sacred festivals in Hinduism, Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela is regarded as a major celebration. This festival is held every 12 years, where devotees go on a pilgrimage to wash their sins.<\/p>\n

Four major pilgrimage sites celebrate the Kumbh Mela. The location of the festival keeps rotating between these places:<\/p>\n

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  1. Allahabad or Prayagraj (Ganges-Yamuna)<\/li>\n
  2. Haridwar (Ganges)<\/li>\n
  3. Nashik (Godavari)<\/li>\n
  4. Ujjain (Shipra)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Kumbh Mela gathers a large number of devotees from India<\/a> <\/span>and around the globe.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/p>\n

    Before we get into this significant festival, it is important to learn about its interesting history and origins.<\/p>\n

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    Origin of Kumbh Mela<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The word ‘Kumbh’ in Kumbh Mela translates to ‘pitcher, or pot’ in the Sanskrit language.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Meanwhile, ‘mela’ means to unite, join or assemble. Thus, combining both terms means assembly or union around the nectar of immortality.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

    The Hindu legend takes place during the time of Gods (Devtas) and demons. According to mythology, both participated in producing the nectar of immortality.  <\/span><\/p>\n

    Devtas and Demons agreed to complete the task together and share the nectar in half. They assembled on the shore and churned the ocean of creation. <\/span>The churning process produced a deadly poison that none of the gods and demons could drink. Hence, they called upon Lord Shiva who drank the poison and remained unaffected.  <\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Statues<\/p>\n

    Several years later, Lord Shiva appeared as Dhanwantari with a pot of nectar that contained immortality. The Gods ceased the pot from her hands whereafter the Demons chased after them. <\/span><\/p>\n

    It is believed that during the battle for the pot, the drops of Kumbh fell on four significant sites, Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik. Since then, these places have been known to hold mystical powers.  <\/span><\/p>\n

    The fight for the sacred pot lasted for 21 days which is considered to be 12 years for humans. Due to this, the Kumbh Mela is celebrated once in 12 years and the gathering takes place at the sacred sites where the drops from the pot fell.  <\/span><\/p>\n

    During the Kumbh Mela festival, the river water is believed to transform into an elixir. As per the beliefs, people dip or bathe in it to attain purity and immortality.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/h2>\n

    History of Kumbh Mela<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The earliest account of Kumbh Mela is recorded by a Chinese traveler named Xuanzang who came to India in the 7th century. He observed the Hindu bathing rituals at the rivers of present-day Prayag.  <\/span><\/p>\n

    According to several texts, Kumbh Mela of Haridwar is the original festival and has various references in the record. <\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/h2>\n

    Types of Kumbh Mela<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The Kumbh Mela is divided into further classifications:<\/p>\n