The 2001 Kumbh Mela.

Kumbh Mela (the Urn Festival) is a Hindu pilgrimage that occurs four times every twelve years and rotates between four locations: Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. Each twelve-year cycle includes one Maha Kumbh Mela (Great Kumbh Mela) at Prayag, which is attended by millions of people, making it perhaps the largest pilgrimage gathering anywhere in the world. Image File history File links The 2001 Kumbh Mela File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links The 2001 Kumbh Mela File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Hinduism (सनातन धर्म; also known as Sanātana Dharma, and Vaidika-Dharma) is a worldwide religious tradition that is based on teachings of the Veda scriptures. ... Pilgrim at Mecca A pilgrimage is a term primarily used in religion and spirituality of a long journey or search of great moral significance. ... Map of India. ... Haridwar (also known as Hardwar) is a holy city in the state of Uttaranchal in northern India. ... Ujjain (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti) is an ancient city of central India, in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River. ... Nashik or Nasik is a city, and also a district and division, in Indias Maharashtra state. ...

Astrology and Kumbh Mela

The precise dates of the Kumbh Mela are astrologically determined, based upon the positions of the Sun, the Moon and Jupiter. At Prayag, the Maha Kumbh Mela is held in the month of Magha (January/February in the Gregorian calendar). The highest spiritual merit is attached to bathing on the new moon day, when Jupiter is in Taurus and both the Sun and Moon are in Capricorn. At Haridwar, the Kumbh Mela is held in the months of Phalgun and Chaitra (February/March/April), when the Sun passes to Aries, the Moon is in Sagittarius and Jupiter is in Aquarius. In Ujjain, the festival is held in the month of Vaishakha (May), when other planets are in Libra, the Sun and Moon are in Aries and Jupiter is in Leo. At Nashik, the Kumbh Mela takes place in the month of Shravana (July), when the Sun and Moon are in Cancer and Jupiter is in Scorpio. See Allahabad. The Sun is the star at the centre of our Solar system. ... Crust composition Oxygen 43% Silicon 21% Aluminium 10% Calcium 9% Iron 9% Magnesium 5% Titanium 2% Nickel 0. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 70 kPa Hydrogen ~86% Helium ~14% Methane 0. ... Map of India. ... Maagha (Hindi: माघ maagh) is a month of the Hindu calendar. ... January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Gregorian calendar is the calendar widely used in the Western world. ... TAURUS is credit transfer agrrement system for SUNY Colleges ... Capricornus (♑), a name meaning Horned Goat in Latin, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Haridwar (also known as Hardwar) is a holy city in the state of Uttaranchal in northern India. ... Phalguna (Hindi: फागुन phaagun or फाल्गुन phaalgun) is a month of the Hindu calendar. ... Chaitra is the first month of the Hindu calendar. ... February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... Aries ( , Latin for Ram) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Sagittarius ( , and Latin for Archer) is a constellation of the zodiac, commonly depicted as a centaur drawing a bow. ... // Headline text Headline text Headline text Aquarius ( , Latin for of the water) is one of the oldest recognized constellations along the zodiac, the suns apparent path. ... Ujjain (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti) is an ancient city of central India, in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River. ... Vaisakha (Hindi: बैसाख baisākh or वैशाख vaishākh) is a month of the Hindu calendar. ... This article is about the month of May. ... Libra ( , and Latin for balance) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... Aries ( , Latin for Ram) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Leo ( , Latin for lion) is a constellation of the zodiac. ... Nashik or Nasik is a city, and also a district and division, in Indias Maharashtra state. ... Shraavana (Hindi: सावन saavan or श्रावण shraavan) is a month of the Hindu calendar, also known as Sawan. ... July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... In astronomy and astrology, Cancer ( ), Latin for crab, is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. ... Scorpius ( , and Latin for scorpion) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. ... Map of India. ...

The legend

Perhaps the largest gathering of humanity on Earth, approximately 70 million people participated in Kumbh Mela at Haridwar.

The observance of Kumbh Mela is based upon the following legend: Thousands of years ago, in the Vedic period, gods and demons made a temporary agreement to work together churning amrita manthanam (the nectar of immortality) from the Ksheera Sagara (primordial ocean of milk), and to share the nectar equally. However, when the Kumbh (urn) containing the amrita appeared, the demons ran away with it 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 possession of this pot of amrita. It is said that during the battle, drops of amrita fell at four places: Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. Thus, the Kumbh Mela is observed at these four locations where the nectar fell. File links The following pages link to this file: Himalaya Kumbh Mela ... File links The following pages link to this file: Himalaya Kumbh Mela ... The Vedic civilization is the Indo-Aryan culture associated with the Vedas, the earliest known records of Indian history. ... In Hindu mythology and Buddhist Mythology, Amrita is the drink of the gods, which grants them immortality. ... Map of India. ... Haridwar (also known as Hardwar) is a holy city in the state of Uttaranchal in northern India. ... Ujjain (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti) is an ancient city of central India, in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River. ... Nashik or Nasik is a city, and also a district and division, in Indias Maharashtra state. ...

Rituals of Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is attended by millions of people on a single day. The major event of this festival is a ritual bath at the banks of the rivers in each town. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardized. Kumbh Mela (especially the Maha Kumbh Mela) is the most sacred of all the Hindu pilgrimages. Thousands of holy men and women (monks, saints and sadhus) attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this. In Hinduism, sadhu is a common term for a renounced ascetic or practitioner of yoga (yogi) who has given up pursuit of the first three Hindu goals of life: kama (pleasure), artha (wealth and power) and even dharma (duty). ...

Kumbh Mela 2003

When the Kumbh Mela was held in Nashik, India, from July 27 to September 7, 2003, 39 pilgrims (28 women and 11 men) were trampled to death and 57 were injured. Devotees had gathered on the banks of the Godavari river for the maha snaan or holy bath. Over 30,000 pilgrims were being held back by barricades in a narrow street leading to the Ramkund, a holy spot, so the sadhus could take the first ceremonial bath. Reportedly, a sadhu threw some silver coins into the crowd and the subsequent scramble led to the stampede. Nashik or Nasik is a city, and also a district and division, in Indias Maharashtra state. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 2003(MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Godavari River is a major waterway in India, next to the Ganges and Indus rivers. ... In Hinduism, sadhu is a common term for a renounced ascetic or practitioner of yoga (yogi) who has given up pursuit of the first three Hindu goals of life: kama (pleasure), artha (wealth and power) and even dharma (duty). ...