Ardha Kumbha Mela

Ardha Kumbha Mela and Maha Kumbha Mela are the main river festivals of India. Maha Kumbha Mela occurs once in every twelve years where as the Ardha Kumbha Mela occurs once in every six years. The venue for these Kumbha Melas keeps changing depending upon the zodiac positions.

Kumbha Melas have a significant role to play in the Indian continent. They are part of Indian rituals related to rivers. Earliest mention of these Kumbha Melas would be seen in the accounts of the Chinese traveler Hsuan-Tsang.

The traveler mentions about these Kumbha melas as these were held during Harshavardhana’s rule.  As the legends describe during the ‘Samudra Manthan’ (the great churning of ocean) drops of nectar spilled over different part of India including rivers. So, it is said that by taking dip in the rivers on a particular zodiac event one would accomplish the salvation. He would get rid of the follies committed so far by him. The cities where these Kumbha Melas would be held are: Ujjain, Prayag, Allahabad and Nashik. Millions of devotees would witness this event. Sometimes stampedes occur. The rituals consist of taking ritual bath in the river, mass feeding, Shayya daan (gifting beds-a Buddhist ritual) and taking part in the discourses upon scriptures. There is not much difference between Maha Kumbha Mela and the Ardha (Half) Kumbha Mela except the time span involved between two Kumbha Melas.  Apart from ritual bathing these Melas provide for intra-religious modifications.

Last Ardha Kumbha Mela was held at Prayag in the year 2007. Venue for the next Ardha Kumbha is at Nashik.