According to the Vedas, for the 'Prakrishta Yagna', Lord Brahma, the creator , chose a piece of land on earth on which the three rivers - the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati - would flow into a quiet confluence. That land, blessed by the Gods, came to be called 'Prayag' or 'Allahabad', as it is known today. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage centres of India.Prayag was renamed as Allahabad in 1575 A.D., by Emperor Akbar. The monarch realized its strategic importance as a waterway landmark in North India, and also built a magnificent fort on the banks of the holy 'sangam'. Allahabad, today is an important city where history, culture and religion create a magical confluence.
The sacred Sangam is the confluence of three of the holiest rivers mentioned in the Vedas - Ganga, Yamuna and the Saraswati. It is believed that it is at the Sangam, that a few drops of the nectar 'Amrit Bindu' fell .. making its waters truly spiritual. It is during the Kumbha Mela and the Ardh Kumbha that the Sangam truly comes alive .. attracting the devout from all around the world Sangam
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Kumbha Mela Kumbha means pot Mela is a sacred pilgrimage. It takes place at the following four locations of India:
Prayag (near the city of Allahabad, in the state of Uttar Pradesh) at the confluence of three rivers Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Saraswati; Haridwar (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) where the river Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas; Ujjain (in Madhya Pradesh), on the banks of Ksipra river; and Nasik (in Maharashtra) on the banks of Godavari river.
Confluence of three riversThe pilgrimage occurs four times every twelve years, once at each of the four locations. Each twelve-year cycle includes the Maha (great) Kumbha Mela at Prayag, attended by millions of people, making it the largest pilgrimage gathering around the world.
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A sage from the Himalayan Mountain range, visits Allahabad during Kumbh-melaThe observance of Kumbha Mela is based upon the following story : thousands of years ago, in the Vedic period, demigods and demons made a temporary agreement to work together in obtaining amrita (the nectar of immortality) from the
Milky Ocean, and to share this equally. However, when the Kumbha (pot) containing the amrita appeared, the demons ran away with the pot and were chased by the gods. For twelve days and twelve nights (equivalent to twelve human years) the gods and demons fought in the sky for the possession of this pot of amrita. It is said that during the battle, drops of amrita fell on to four places : Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. Thus, Kumbha mela is observed at these four locations where the
nectar fell.
Naga BabaKumbha Mela is attended by millions of people on a single day. A ritual bath at a predetermined time and place is the major event of this festival.
Pilgrims dip in the water at a very auspicious momentOther activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men/women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardized. Kumbha Mela (especially the Maha Kumbha Mela) is the most sacred of all the Hindu pilgrimages. Thousands of holy men/women (monks, saints, sadhus) grace the occasion by their presence. The auspiciousness of Kumbha Mela is in part attributed to the gathering of thousands of holy men/women at one place on earth.
According to Vedic astrologers, the 'Kumbh Mela' takes place when the planet Jupiter enters Aquarius and the Sun enters Aries.