World's Lagest Religious Gathering - Kumbh Mela or Maha Kumbh - Held after 12 years - In rotation to Haridwar, Ujjain, Allahabd and Nasik.
In view of the Covid-19 situation - Kumbh Mela reduced to 30 days from 1st April to 30th April, 2021 - Uttarakhand Government announced on Thursday, 18th February, 2021.
This fair starts on the day of Makar Sankranti when the Sun and Moon enter the Scorpio sign and Jupiter in the Aries sign. Yog on this day is known as Kumbh Snan Yog, and this day also considered to be auspicious because it believed that on this day, the doors of heaven are opened, and by bathing on this day, the soul can easily attain heaven and all your sins washed away. Kumbh Mela has great importance in Hinduism.
In Kumbh Mela, Kumbh means pitcher, jugger, utensil, and the word Mela means to unite, join, gather in one place or attend a community festival in particular. In this way, the Kumbh Mela celebrated every twelfth year, but in Prayag, there is also a Ardh Kumbh in a gap of six years between two Kumbh festivals.
Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela, the largest religious gathering in the world is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred or holy river.
Traditionally, four fairs are widely recognized as the Kumbh Melas: the Allahabad Kumbh Mela, Haridwar Kumbh Mela, the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha, and Ujjain Simhastha.
These four fairs are held periodically after 12 years at one of the following places by rotation:
Allahabad(Prayagraj), Haridwar, Nashik district (Nashik and Trimbak), and Ujjain.
The main festival site is located on the banks of a river: the Ganges(Ganga) at Haridwar; the confluence (Sangam) of the Ganges and the Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati at Allahabad; the Godavari at Nashik; and the Shipra at Ujjain.
Bathing in these rivers is thought to cleanse a person of all their sins.It will witness millions of pilgrims, different akharas, Sadhus and number of Hindu organisations.
This year (2021) Maha Kumbh will be held at Haridwar. The bathing dates and other important dates are mentioned below:-
Shahi Snan :- i) 11th March, 2021 (Maha Shivratri) ii) 12th April, 2021 (Somvati Amamvasya) iii) 14th April, 2021 (Baisakhi) iv) 27th April, 2021 (Chaitra Purnima)
Snan :- i) 14th January, 2021 (Makar Sankranti) ii) 11th February, 2021 (Mauni Amavasya) iii) 16th February, 2021 (Basant Panchami) iv) 21st April, 2021 (Ram Navami)
Another Important date is 27th February, 2021 (Maghi Purnima).
Kumbh Mela 2021 will continue from 14th January till 27th April at Haridwar.
-Har Ki Pauri, Asthi Pravath Ghat, Subhash Ghat, Gau Ghat, Sapth Sarover Kshetra Ghat, Sarvanand Ghat, Pantdweep Ghat, Kangra Ghat, Roode Bale Wala Ghat, Ganesh Ghat, Varagi Camp Ghat, Sati Ghat, Daksheshwar Ghat, Singh Dwar Ghat, Sita Ghat.
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