Kumbh Mela
Kumbh Mela (Festival of the Sacred Pitcher) is a cycle of Hindu pilgrimage in India and one of the largest religious events on earth. Every 4 to 12 years, millions of Hindus visit the four cities of Prayagraj
, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar along the Ganges River and bathe in especially holy stretches in order to wash away their sins.
, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar along the Ganges River and bathe in especially holy stretches in order to wash away their sins.According to Hindu myths, the gods once fought a battle over the kumbh (pitcher), which contained the nectar of immortality. During the fight, four drops of the nectar spilled onto the earth and fell on the ground of Prayagraj, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar.
At each of the cities a massive mela (fair) is held during the event and millions of Hindus, including naked saddhus, nagas and Hindu monks, as well as other Hindu holy men, arrive there from all over India. For India's Hindus, the four cities in the Kumbh Mela are among the seven most sacred places on the pilgrimage circuit.
In Haridwar ('Gateway to the Gods'), millions gather in the sacred area where the Ganges River leaves the mountains and enters the plains, while in Prayagraj the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna, as well as the mythical River of Enlightenment, known as sangam, is the holiest spot. The Allahabad Kumbh Mela is the largest of all melas, with over 660 million pilgrims visiting.
The Kumbh Mela lasts between 1 and 3 months and the Amavasya day attracts the largest crowds.
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| 1974 | Haridwar |
| 1975 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1977 | Prayagraj |
| 1978 | |
| 1979 | |
| 1980 | Haridear, Nashik-Trimbak and Ujjain |
| 1981 | |
| 1982 | |
| 1983 | |
| 1984 | Prayagraj |
| 1985 | |
| 1986 | Haridwar |
| 1987 | |
| 1988 | |
| 1989 | Prayagraj |
| 1990 | |
| 1991 | |
| 1992 | Haridear, Nashik-Trimbak and Ujjain |
| 1993 | |
| 1994 | |
| 1995 | Prayagraj |
| 1996 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1998 | Haridwar |
| 1999 | |
| 2000 | |
| 2001 | Prayagraj |
| 2002 | |
| 2003 | Nashik-Trimbak |
| 2004 | Haridear and Ujjain |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | |
| 2007 | Prayagraj |
| 2008 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2010 | Haridwar |
| 2011 | |
| 2012 | |
| 2013 | Prayagraj |
| 2014 | |
| 2015 | Nashik-Trimbak |
| 2016 | Haridwar and Ujjain |
| 2017 | |
| 2018 | |
| 2019 | Prayagraj |
| 2020 | |
| 2021 | Haridwar |
| 2022 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2024 | |
| 2025 | Prayagraj |
| 2026 | |
| 2027 | Haridwar and Nashik-Trimbak |
| 2028 | Ujjain |
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