Kumbh Mela

The Kumbh Mela is believed to be the largest religious fair on Earth. According to the astrologers, the "Kumbh Mela" takes place when the planet Jupiter enters Aquarius and the Sun enters Aries. This fair takes place at the following locations :

• Prayag (in Allahabad, UP) on the banks of the "Sangam" the confluence of the three sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.
• Haridwar (in UP) on the banks of the river Ganga where Ganga enters the plains from Himalayas.
• Ujjain (in Madhya Pradesh), on the banks of Shipra river.
• Nasik (in Maharashtra) on the banks of Godavari river.

This fair occurs four times every 12 years, once at each of the four locations. But the one celebrated at the Holy Sangam is the largest and holiest of them all and hence called as "Maha Kumbh Mela" making it the largest pilgrimage gathering around the world.

Legend : The gods and the demons fight for "Amrit Kumbh" (a pot of nectar of immortality). Lord Vishnu, disguising himself as "Mohini" (an enchantress), seized the nectar from the demons. Lord Vishnu passed the nectar on to his winged mount, Garuda. In the ensuing struggle between Garuda and the demons, a few drops of the precious nectar fell on Earth at four places: Allahabad, Nasik, Haridwar and Ujjain. Since then, the Kumbh Mela has been held in all these places, alternatively, every 12 years.

Significance
A holy dip in the sacred waters is believed to cleanse the soul and help in attaining salvation.