KUMBH SNAN AND KUMBH MELA

According to scriptural dictates and age-old tradition among followers of Sanatan Dharma (as well as other dharmas of
Indian origin) bathing in the sacred rivers of India is considered the most coveted religious practice.
Special preference is attributed to auspicious days,dates and occasions of rare stellar constellations.
Religious adherents believe bathing in holy rivers is a means of atonement, penance, and restorative action
for past deeds, whether deliberate or otherwise. Bathing cleans them of their sins or augments the
cumulative punya (merits) for better next lives.
Ritualistic bathing at a particular moment of the special stellar constellation in four places of India in the
respective river flowing through these places, e.g. Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nasik, and Ujjain is termed
Kumbha Snan (Kumbha bathing). Over time such moments assumed the religious and festive fervour of
collective spiritualism and these are celebrated as religious Fairs (mela). Kumbha means pitcher, jar, or pot.
In the astrological text, Kumbha refers to the eleventh Zodiac sign of Aquarius (Kumbha Rashi).

It is traditionally believed that Kumbha Mela had its origin from time immemorial and this is evidenced in the
Sanatan mythological text about Samudra Manthan i.e. the great churning of the ocean of milk by the Devas
and the Demons (Asura) wherefrom the nectar of immortality came out in a pitcher. To deprive the Asuras
of this elixir of life Lord Vishnu, in the form of a charming lady (Mohini), took the pitcher in her hand.
The Asuras were chasing after the pot holder. While on the run four drops of that nectar fell on the four places
at different moments of stellar constellations. To take a dip in the respective river in those four places at those
special moments is considered to be the most auspicious. The same moment at a particular place
comes after every 12 years. These moments are specific concerning the position of Jupiter (Brihaspati),
the Sun, and the Moon. The moment at (1) Haridwar is related to the position of Jupiter in the Zodiac sign Leo
(Singha Rashi) or the Sun and the Moon enter in Cancer (Karkat Rashi) on lunar conjunction. The holy dip is
taken in Brahma Kund on the Ganges. At (2) Prayagraj the moment is related to the position of Jupiter
entering Aries (Mesh Rashi) and the Sun and the Moon in Capricorn (Makar Rashi). The holy dip is taken at
Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythological river the Saraswati. At
(3) Ujjain the moment is related to the position of Jupiter in Leo (Singha) and the sun and the moon in
Aries (Mesh Rashi) or Jupiter, the sun and the moon in Libra (Tula Rashi) on Kartik (lunar month)
Amavasya (new moon).|The holy dip is taken in the River Shipra. At (4) Nasik the moment is related to the position
of Jupiter in Leo (Singha) and the Sun and the moon entering Cancer (Karkat Rashi) in Lunar conjunction. The
holy dip is taken in the river Godavari.

Adi Shankaracharya of the 8" century is credited for the Kumbha gathering of saints and monks from across
the Indian subcontinent for religious and philosophical exchanges between them, along with the mass bathing
in the holy rivers at the auspicious moments.