Mythological & Astrological Significance of Kumbh Mela

The Indian subcontinent and festivals go hands in hand and celebrated with great elation. Some of the devotees pour their body and heart to please the gods and the godly saints for a stroke of luck and well-being.

Out of those year-long festivals, the Kumbh Mela features a special status, particularly for the Hindus. The divine event is commemorated every three years in the sacred locations of India such as Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik. It provides the pilgrims a way of enlightenment and redeeming past sins. The Kumbh Mela comes back to each location at an interval of 12 years.

Kumbh Mela & its History

The congregation of the most pious festival in India is around 2000 years old and it has an indication in the Rig Veda along with the bathing rituals. The mention of Kumbh payers is also in the Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda. The term Kumbh is rooted in Kumbhak which is known as the sacred pitcher.

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The history also reveals that the Adi Shankaracharya is the counselor of Kumbh Mela and the Akharas. It is also available in the works of Xuanzang, a Chinese visitor, Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, Mahabharata as well as Ramayana.

According to a belief, the Kumbh Mela is the foremost source of luminance and erudition as Prajapati Brahma executed Ashvamedha Yajna at the Meeting point of the Ganga and Yamuna known as Dashashvamedha Ghat.

Mythological Significance

The ceremony of Kumbh Mela dates back to thousands of years ago when God and Asuras came up for the Samudra Manthan for Amrit (Nectar). In the course of action when the divine healer Dhanwantari came out holding a Kumbh full of Amrit or nectar, both the sides start fighting a long battle for seizing the Kumbh.

In the meantime, the Asuras took away the Kumbh for the Possession of the Nectar Kumbh the gods opted for a battle for twelve long days and twelve long nights. The period is equivalent to twelve human years and this is the reason behind the Kumbh Mela observance in 12 years.

It is also believed that during the chasing few drops of Amrit fell on the places like Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik, thus Kumbh Mela happens as per the schedule in these holy places. Due to the nectar, these places offer unbelievable and mystical power and located on the embankments of the holiest rivers in India.

Haridwar is located on the Ganges in the Devbhumi Uttarakhand, Prayagraj is at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati in Uttar Pradesh, Nashik on the bank of Godavari in Maharashtra and Ujjain the adobe of Mahakal on Sipra river in Madhya Pradesh.

Astrological Significance

The word Kumbh is also related to the astrological sign Aquarius which is the 11th zodiac sign. Usually, the Kumbh Mela is celebrated every three years in the four designated locations rotationally.

The date of each Kumbh Mela is finalized according to the placement of the Sun, the Moon and Jupiter. The exact location also determined according to this.

Usually, Jupiter requires 12 years to go through all the 12 zodiac signs and for this reason, the Maha Kumbh Mela materializes after 144 years. Whereas the Ardha Kumbh Mela occurs in Prayag and Haridwar at an interval of six years.

to be more precise the Kumbh Mela festival celebrated in four holy locations according to the zodiac sign position.

When the Jupiter transit into the Aquarius constellation and the Sun into the constellation of Aries then Kumbh Mela takes place in the city known as the Gateway to Gods, Haridwar. Similarly, when the Jupiter comes into the Leo, the month-long festival takes place in the Haridwar of south, Nashik and when the Jupiter transit into Leo and the Sun comes into the Aries it is held in the temple city Ujjain. Lastly when the Sun remains in Capricorn and the Jupiter in Taurus the largest gathering of the human festival happens in the Prayagraj, the Sangam city.

The Kumbh Mela is the only occurrence in the world which attracts millions of devotees. It is a nice blend of astrology, mysticism, and tradition and offers a strong message to the whole world that it is way beyond the cultural differences, religious values and a connecting medium for Vashudhaiva Kutumbakam.