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On prescribed dates during the Kumbh Mela, special bathing rituals are held on the ghats or banks of holy rivers. These are called Shahi or Amrit Snan; and are undoubtedly the most spectacular and anticipated events during the Mela. Sages and monks gather at the ghats for a holy dip, giving the devotees a rare and precious opportunity to see them up close. Naga sadhus – naked ascetics whose only covering is ash or Bhasma - hold out a message to the onlookers. Everything is prey to the scourge of Time and ultimately will return to ashes. After the bathing of sages, it is auspicious to take bath in the holy water.

On prescribed dates during the Kumbh Mela, special bathing rituals are held on the ghats or banks of holy rivers. These are called Shahi or Amrit Snan; and are undoubtedly the most spectacular and anticipated events during the Mela. Sages and monks gather at the ghats for a holy dip, giving the devotees a rare and precious opportunity to see them up close. Naga sadhus – naked ascetics whose only covering is ash or Bhasma - hold out a message to the onlookers. Everything is prey to the scourge of Time and ultimately will return to ashes. After the bathing of sages, it is auspicious to take bath in the holy water.

=== Time and venue of Kumbh Mela ===

=== Importance of Rivers in Sanatana Tradition ===

 

 

== Time and venue of Kumbh Mela ==

Kumbh is organised at four places on the banks of sacred rivers. In the north at Haridwar; and in the east at Prayaag, on the banks of the river Ganga. Ujjain in the west hosts the Kumbh on the banks of river Shipra while in the south it is the Godavri whose banks at Nasik are the venue for the grand event.

Kumbh is organised at four places on the banks of sacred rivers. In the north at Haridwar; and in the east at Prayaag, on the banks of the river Ganga. Ujjain in the west hosts the Kumbh on the banks of river Shipra while in the south it is the Godavri whose banks at Nasik are the venue for the grand event.

These astrological phenomena are deeply symbolic – the three celestial bodies have profound spiritual and physical associations. In Sanatana Dharma Sun symbolises the Aatman; Moon the Mann; and Jupiter the Dharma{{Citation needed}}. When Dharma is practiced it purifies the chitt or mann which in turn elevates the soul and opens the door for self-realisation. It is the main cause which attracts saadhaks to the kumbh mela from all over the world.

These astrological phenomena are deeply symbolic – the three celestial bodies have profound spiritual and physical associations. In Sanatana Dharma Sun symbolises the Aatman; Moon the Mann; and Jupiter the Dharma{{Citation needed}}. When Dharma is practiced it purifies the chitt or mann which in turn elevates the soul and opens the door for self-realisation. It is the main cause which attracts saadhaks to the kumbh mela from all over the world.

=== Importance of Rivers in Sanatana Tradition ===

=== Mathematics Behind Calculation of Time and Venue<ref>Written by Nityananda Mishra, Writer based in MUmbai. This excerpt taken from his FB Post. (https://www.facebook.com/nityanand.misra/posts/2054498124667256 accessed on 17 January 2019)</ref> ===

Rivers have always been revered in Sanatana Dharma. River banks have traditionally been venues for organising religious festivities. Infact, many pilgrimage sites called Teerth are located on the banks of rivers.  Teerth means that place that transports or takes one across the symbolic river of life{{Citation needed}}. In doing so, one is set free from worldly bondages.  Kumbh by virtue of being held on river banks becomes the locus of attaining liberation.

 

 

The Kumbha Mela is held, usually, once every 12 years at a place. The Ardha Kumbha is held halfway, 6 years after one Kumbha and 6 before the next. Why 12 years? The Kumbha is held when the Sun and Jupiter are in specific zodiac signs. The Sun takes one year (365.2425 days) to transit once through all twelve signs. Jupiter takes almost twelve [earth] years. Hence, after almost twelve years, Sun and Jupiter are in the same respective zodiac signs. This is why, usually, the Kumbha Mela is held once every 12 years.

 

But Jupiter takes slightly less than 12 years to transit once through all twelve signs. The exact period is 11.8618 years, and the usual frequency (12) is an overestimate for it. Over seven transits, this difference becomes almost equal to one year (12 - 11.8618) x 7 = 0.9674 ≈ 1. Seven times 12 is 84 but seven times 11.8618 is almost 83 (83.0326). So we have to take out one year every 84 years to keep the Kumbha Mela cycle and Sun and Jupiter positions in sync. This is why, after six Melas held in 72 years (each 12 years after the previous one), the seventh is held 11 years after the sixth. E.g. last Haridwar Kumbha was in 2010, next would be in 2021. This gives us seven Melas in 83 years.

 

Seven Melas in 83 effectively gives an estimate of around 11.85714 years for Jupiter’s transit through the zodiac. This is a slight underestimate for the actual number 11.8618 (up to four decimals). So this Kumbha Mela cycle of seven in 83 would also be out of sync with positions of Sun and Jupiter at some point, just like the 1-in-4 leap year cycle gets out of sync by three days over 400 years. For example, this 7-in-83 cycle will create a difference of one year in around 29 iterations, as Jupiter will complete 210 transits of zodiac in almost 2,491 years (11.8618 x 210 = 2490.978) but 30 iterations of the 7-in-83 cycle will give us 2,490 years. So something like this would need to be done: after 29 cycles of 7 Melas in 83 years, we will need one cycle of 7 Melas in 84 years. This will result in 210 Kumbha Melas in 2,491 (29 x 83 + 84) years.

 

The more precision we use, the more refined these rules will become.

At the Kumbh Mela bathing in the holy waters of rivers holds deep significance. In Sanatana tradition Rivers are life-giving and are worshipped as worldly manifestations of the Goddess. Sanatana Dharma extols the maternal aspect of rivers and considers a dip in their waters as purifying and elevating. It also maintains a sense of duty towards the rivers for their preservation. At one level this cleanses the body and soul of ills; and at another level reaffirms the Hindus’ duty to keep rivers clean, and preserve their life-giving energy.

At the end of the day, the Kumbha Mela is all about mathematics, as is everything else in the world.  

== Origin of the name "Kumbh" and the Legend of Samudra Manthan ==

== Origin of the name "Kumbh" and the Legend of Samudra Manthan ==