why is kumbh mela impotant

Kumbh Mela (the Urn Festival) is a Hindu pilgrimage that occurs four times every twelve years & rotates among four locations: Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain & Nashik. Each twelve-year cycle includes one Maha Kumbh Mela (Great Kumbh Mela) at Prayag, which is attended by millions of people, making it the largest gathering anywhere in the world.

The observance of Kumbh Mela is based upon the following legend: Thousands of years ago, in the Vedic period, gods & demons made a temporary agreement to work together churning amrita (the nectar of immortality) from the Ksheera Sagara (primordial ocean of milk), & to share the nectar equally. However, when the Kumbh (urn) containing the amrita appeared, the demons ran away with it & were chased by the gods. For twelve days & twelve nights (equivalent to twelve human years) the gods & 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 & Nashik. Thus, the Kumbh Mela is observed at these four locations where the nectar fell.

The precise dates of the Kumbh Mela r astronomically determined, based upon precise calculations of the positions of the Sun, the Moon & 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, Amavasya, when Jupiter is in Taurus & both the Sun & Moon r in Capricorn. At Haridwar, the Kumbh Mela is held in the months of Phalgun & Chaitra (February/March/April), when the Sun passes to Aries, the Moon is in Sagittarius & Jupiter is in Aquarius. In Ujjain, the festival is held in the month of Vaishakha (May), when other planets r in Libra, the Sun & Moon r in Aries & Jupiter is in Leo. At Nashik, the Kumbh Mela takes place in the month of Shravana (July), when the Sun & Moon r in Cancer & Jupiter is in Scorpio.

It is also said that the elixir of life is filled in a Kumbh (Pot) in Swarg (heaven) so with certain combination of Sun - Moon - Jupiter combination, the elixir falls from heaven to earth, & kumbh mela is held on those locations.

once all the Teerthas went to Adinath Bhagwan Shankara . Following Bhagwan Shankara’s order they had been to Mrutyuloka (earth) to save sinners on earth. Teerthas absolved the sinners on the earth, but were themselves saturated with others’ sins . They requested Bhagwan Shankara to free themselves from sins. Shankara asked them to go & live in solitude for one year at the bank of river Godavari. Shankara promised the Teerthas that he himself, with all other Gods will also stay with them . After taking bath in the sacred water of Godavari, they will be free from the sins.

Hence during the Kumbha Mela a dip in Godavari river has attained a great importance.

In Shiva Purana there is a story explaining the importance of Sinhastha Kumbha Mela. Gautama Rishi got salvation of his cow-killing sin from Lord Shankara after a long penance. Then the river Ganges descended down on the earth. After some time she wanted to go back to her home place. However the Rishis & Gods gathered there & requested her to stay back on the earth for the prosperity of the earth. She agreed to stay back only after taking a promise from Lord Shankara that all the Rishis present there & all Gods will stay with her. Then only she will stay back. Gods & Rishis promised her that during the period, when Jupiter & Sun will be in the zodiac sign Leo (Simha Rashi), they will all stay on the earth.

In later years , it is said , acknowledging importance of Kumbha Mela Lord Rama with his Guru Kashyap stayed & lived for one year in Trimbakeshwar. During this period he performed all the religious rites like yatra, shraddha etc near Kushavarta