Context:
The Maha Kumbh is going to be held in Prayagraj for 45 days from 13th January to 26th February 2025.
More on the News
- Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Uttar Pradesh Government is making extensive preparations to ensure that Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj is a grand, safe, and spiritually enriching event.
- The event is expected to host over 40 crore devotees from across the globe.
About Maha Kumbh
- The Kumbh Mela is the world’s largest peaceful gathering, drawing millions of pilgrims for a ritual bath in holy rivers. It takes place four times over a course of 12 years (every 3 years on four different locations).
- The geographical location of Kumbh Mela spans over four locations in India and the Mela site keeps rotating between one of the four pilgrimages on four sacred rivers as listed below:
- In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, on the banks of the Ganges
- In Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh on the banks of Shipra
- In Nashik, Maharashtra on the banks of Godavari
- In Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical invisible Sarasvati
- The Maha Kumbh Mela, which takes place once every 12 years, is the festival’s rarest and sacred incarnation of the festival.
- It commemorates 12 cycles of the 12-year Kumbh Mela, drawing a great number of believers who think that taking the holy plunge during this time enhances spiritual qualities.
- Mythological Origins: The festival traces its origins to the mythological event of the “Samudra Manthan” or churning of the cosmic ocean. During this event, a pot (Kumbh) containing the elixir of immortality (amrita) emerged, and drops of this nectar fell at four sacred sites.
- Historical origins: The earliest references to the Kumbh Mela are found in ancient Hindu scriptures like the Rigveda. The festival gained prominence during the Maurya and Gupta periods
- Astrological Alignment: The festival is celebrated based on specific astrological positions of the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter. The exact moment when these positions align is considered the holiest time for the Kumbh Mela.
- Intangible Heritage: Kumbh Mela was listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage under UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in the year 2017.