Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 is scheduled to commence on January 13, 2025. Here’s everything you need to know about this grand festival.

Maha Kumbh Mela is one of the largest and most sacred gatherings in Hinduism. It is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and is considered an opportunity for devotees to absolve sins and attain Moksha, or liberation.

It holds profound spiritual importance. It is believed that during the festival, the planets align in a way that enhances the spiritual energy of the location, making it an auspicious time for spiritual practices.

Shahi Snan (Royal Bath): The festival’s most significant rite is ceremonial bathing in sacred waterways. The Naga sadhus (ascetic warriors) lead the way, immersing themselves in the sacred waters during big processions. This act represents the remission of sins and the achievement of spiritual merit.

Sankirtan and Bhajans: Devotees sing and chant devotional songs, creating a spiritual ambience.

Yogasanas and Meditation: Many guests engage in yoga and meditation techniques to achieve physical and mental calm.

Spiritual speeches: Renowned saints and gurus give speeches on spiritual and philosophical issues, giving knowledge to the assembled devotees.

While Maha Kumbh Mela is scheduled for this year in 2025, many end up confusing Mahakumbh Mela with Kumbh Mela. These are two significant Hindu religious gatherings that attract millions of devotees; however, there are some differences between the two:

1. The Mahakumbh Mela occurs once every 12 years and is considered the most sacred of all Kumbh Melas. Whereas Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 3 years, rotating among four locations: Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik, and Prayagraj, with each location hosting the Kumbh Mela in a cycle that ensures each site is featured once every 12 years.

2. The Mahakumbh Mela primarily held at Prayagraj, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers converge. It is a grander event that draws a larger crowd compared to the regular Kumbh Melas. Kumbh Mela takes place at four sacred sites—Haridwar (Ganges), Ujjain (Shipra), Nashik (Godavari), and Prayagraj (Ganges-Yamuna-Saraswati). Each site has its unique significance and rituals associated with it.

3. Participating in the Mahakumbh Mela is believed to provide immense spiritual benefits, including purification of sins and attainment of salvation. The holy dip during this time is considered particularly powerful. While Kumbh Mela is also significant for spiritual growth and purification, it is viewed as less potent than the Mahakumbh. Nonetheless, it still attracts millions who seek spiritual rejuvenation through rituals performed at the riverbanks.

4. Lastly, the Mahakumbh Mela attracts an estimated 40 crore (400 million) devotees, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, while the Kumbh Mela, although large, generally sees fewer participants than the Mahakumbh due to its more frequent occurrence and smaller scale.

In 2017, the Kumbh Mela was declared India’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ by UNESCO. The event was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UN body.  The list describes Kumbh Mela as “the festival of the sacred Pitcher” where pilgrims bathe or take a dip in a sacred river. The list includes forms of expression that testify to the diversity of the intangible heritage and raise awareness of its importance.

The UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted in 2003, defines intangible cultural heritage as the practices, representations, expressions as well as knowledge and skills that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage.