The Maha Kumbh’s origin is steeped in mythology, with the legend of Samudra Manthan (the churning of the ocean) from the Bhagwat and Vishnu Puranas. It describes how gods and demons churned the ocean to retrieve Amrit, the elixir of immortality, with drops falling at four sacred places in India: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar, and Ujjain.
Each of these sites hosts the Kumbh Mela in a 12-year cycle. Their timing is determined by Jupiter’s 12-year cycle, along with specific Sun and Moon configurations. In Prayagraj, it occurs when Jupiter is in Taurus and both the Sun and Moon are in Capricorn. This Maha Kumbh, being held after 144 years, is significant for several reasons. It began with two extended Shahi (Amrit) Snans on Paush Poornima on January 13 and Makar Sankranti on January 14, and coincided with the Pushya Nakshatra, a planetary alignment. This year’s Maha Kumbh marks the completion of a cycle of 12 Maha Kumbh melas. The last such event was held in 1881.
The Maha Kumbh represents an interplay of Sanatan history, celestial science and geography reflecting how our ancestors perceived the universe as an integral part of life. Among many legends and theories about its origin, the Maha Kumbh finds mention in Vedic scriptures and Puranas.
Mythological references
The Puranas attribute the Maha Kumbh to a curse of Rishi Durwasa, known for his short temper and impulsive curses. As a result of one such curse, legend has it that the gods lost their power and the demons captured heaven. This led Indra, the king of gods, to request Lord Vishnu to free the heaven of demons. Vishnu said the lost fortunes were lying at the bottom of the sea and could be restored only by churning it (Samudra Manthan).
As the legend goes, both the gods and demons engaged in Samudra Manthan which led to the emergence of a whole lot of divine energy including 14 gems, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Dhanwantri carrying an ‘Amrit Kumbh’ (a pitcher containing the elixir of immortality). Dhanwantri is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and physician of the Devas and God of Ayurveda. On getting their hands on Amrit, both gods and demons staked their claim. The demons snatched the pitcher from Dhanwantri and ran away. While the demons were fleeing, drops of Amrit fell at four different places — Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar and Ujjain.
The gods then pleaded with Vishnu to get back the elixir. Vishnu consented and took the form of Mohini, an enchantress who enticed the demons into submitting to her terms. She made both the gods and demons sit in two separate rows and distributed the elixir among the gods, who consumed it and defeated the demons.
The four spots where the drops of elixir fell acquired a mystical power. It turned the corresponding rivers at these four sites into Amrit at that cosmic moment. These four sites gradually turned into divine locations where pilgrims took a holy dip in the rivers to imbibe the essence of purity, auspiciousness and immortality.
