8 Things To Know About The History Of Maha Kumbh Mela

Credits: Wikimedia Commons

1. Origins in Mythology

[{"selector":"#anim-978855d8-ae48-492a-a48e-c95e6c37efc6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a3978bf-7678-471c-b5d5-fd16bb260c8a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 136.21660%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The roots of the Maha Kumbh Mela trace back to the Samudra Manthan when the gods and demons churned the ocean to obtain Amrit. The nectar spilled at four places: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik, making them sacred sites for the Kumbh Mela. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

2. The Cycle of Kumbh Melas

[{"selector":"#anim-4cf28e29-b4df-446b-9778-4dff6162ca00","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dbaca5de-faf9-4206-a8b7-6c5192d753cb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.49168%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Maha Kumbh Mela occurs every 12 years at Prayagraj, with smaller Kumbh festivals (Ardh Kumbh and annual Magh Melas) taking place in between. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

3. The Earliest Historical Mentions

[{"selector":"#anim-d059f738-95c0-458c-88ab-92124783571c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ba40d6b-0190-4a59-b699-fb6950d81d17","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 167.14980%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] While the festival's origins are mythological, the first recorded reference to the Kumbh Mela is found in the accounts of Xuanzang, a 7th-century Chinese traveller. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

4. Guinness World Record for the Largest Gathering

[{"selector":"#anim-672b20d8-09cf-4f0c-9fde-40540d5a4ac4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6599d121-b149-4486-9d4e-b189ba7e6a3c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 167.14980%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Kumbh Mela is officially recognized as the world’s largest peaceful gathering. The 2013 Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj saw over 120 million people from across the globe. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

5. Ritual Bathing in Sacred Rivers

[{"selector":"#anim-6bae2731-db72-4301-a8fe-fda181709325","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-437ab413-c589-48cb-926a-8adc1a2f61eb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.49168%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The heart of the Maha Kumbh Mela lies in the ritual of bathing in sacred rivers, believed to cleanse the soul of sins and aid in achieving moksha. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

6. A Melting Pot of Humanity

[{"selector":"#anim-96c6bb60-c333-4475-8d04-011e40ca5856","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f2f3fae-8847-445b-9425-4e0b390cc048","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 266.97521%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] From monks to everyday devotees, the Maha Kumbh Mela unites a diverse array of people. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

7. A Platform for Intellectual Exchange

[{"selector":"#anim-ccbc58da-14ef-4fb1-809a-6a8fdb7abe1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-856dddbd-533a-4bcc-bb40-597fec211731","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 266.97521%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Historically, the Kumbh Mela was not just a religious event but also a centre for scholarly debates and discussions. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

8. UNESCO Recognition

[{"selector":"#anim-a2a24c96-b5b0-4835-878b-5cfdd3b0f831","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0a653c6-e4ac-4929-9795-7c0c470f0807","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 266.97521%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In 2017, the Kumbh Mela was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Credits: Wikimedia Commons

[{"selector":"#anim-23a3042e-3270-4be4-ba73-4def2d71a834","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cda5bd82-323e-4397-818d-a8ae204034e9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 536.44472%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Credits: Wikimedia Commons The Maha Kumbh Mela is a celebration of faith, unity, and human perseverance.