Kumbh Mela :The Cosmic Misattribution.

 Kumbh Mela: The Cosmic Misattribution

The Kumbh Mela is a blend of पौराणिक कथा and allegorical stories (रूपक-संबंधी), historical events, and modern adaptations, reflecting the complex interplay of religious beliefs, colonial encounters, and national aspirations. 

All religions have placed great emphasis on the sacredness of certain localities and have either enjoined or recommended pilgrimages to them with great insistence. Large rivers, mountains and forests have always been venerated as sacred places.

The word Tirtha¹, occurs frequently in the Rgved and other Vedic Samhitas. Tirtha, therefore, means a locality or spot or expanse of water which gives rise to the accumulation of righteousness (merit) owing to its own peculiar nature without any adventitious circumstance. Puranas¹ and ancient texts do describe the importance of places and rivers, as Tirtha, and bathing in such holy rivers, freed the person from Sins.

These places are all over India. They are abodes of Gods, and a belief that a visit to these places will accumulate spiritual benefits. This led the Dharma Shastra writers to lay emphasis on visits to Tirtha places.

Padma Puran mentions the importance of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Prayag and the importance of bathing in these rivers to free oneself of sins, along with visits to such places and observance of rituals. The River Narmada is also given a similar status.

 Origin of Kumbh Mela/ कुंभ पर्व

The origins of this कुंभ पर्व are shrouded in a blend of myth and historical ambiguity.  The word कुंभ or its derivatives are found in the Rigveda, in verse 10.89. 7; verse 19.16 of the Yajurveda, verse 6.3 of Samaveda, verse 19.53; Atharva Veda – To quote, for example

 ‘चतुर: कुम्भांश्चतुर्धा ददामि’

 ‘पूर्ण: कुम्भोSधिकाल आहितस्तं’

It is presumed by some scholars that this mention refers to कुंभ पर्व. The word कुंभ does not mean a कुंभ पर्व nor does it mean the zodiacal sign कुंभ / Aquarius. SB Dixit, in his treatise “History of Hindu Astronomy, says that the zodiac signs were not in vogue during Vedic times. They were introduced later into Hindu astronomy. These verses do not support the समुद्र मंथन theory either. Sayana and other scholars have interpreted these verses differently.

Contextual meaning should be taken and not a literal meaning.

 Transition from स्नान पर्व to कुंभ पर्व

There are texts and scriptures available which dwell upon the importance of स्नान पर्व in the month of माघ, during मकर संक्रांति (माघ month corresponding to Jan/Feb and मकर संक्रांति on 14/15 Jan).

This स्नान पर्व   was called as माघ स्नान पर्व . The festival was held annually in Prayag. The event was localised and on a smaller scale.

Hweun Tsang mentions स्नान पर्व in Prayag, during his visit in the 7^th century. A similar mention is made by Chinese travellers in the 5^th century.

 बाणभट्ट in his हर्ष चरित्र mentions that Raja Harish Chandra utilised this event to give दान , this was also known as दान पर्व. This event was conducted every 5 years. There was no astronomical connection to this 5-yearly दान पर्व. Buddhist Texts Divyavadan and Ashokavadan mention 5-yearly दान पर्व

Even तुलसीदास, has mentioned regarding माघ स्नान पर्व in his रामचरितमानस

 माघ मकारगत रवि जब होई ।तीरथपतिहि आव सब कोई ।।

देव दनुज किनर नर श्रेनी । सादर मज्जाहि सकल त्रिबेनी ।  -  तुलसीदास, रामचरितमानस, बालकाण्ड, 43 

 मत्स्य पुराण mentions                                                    

• इदं तु महापुण्यं तु …  (१५४.१)
• यतः स्थानं प्रयागे नाम्नि स्थास्यति … (१५४.२)
• माघमासे स्नानं कुर्याद् त्रिवेणी संगमे … (१५४.३)         मत्स्य पुराण, अध्याय 154, श्लोक 1-3.

 माघ स्नान पर्व was disrupted during Mughal rule. During the construction of Allahabad fort in late 16^th century, by Akbar, dharma gurus decided to shift the पर्व  to next Tirtha place along river Ganga. The place selected was ‘Gangadwar, now known as Haridwar.

Dharma Gurus selected मेष संक्रांति, corresponding to 14 April, and when Jupiter is in कुंभ  राशि as an auspicious time to perform स्नान पर्व . The event was named कुंभ पर्व, since  Jupiter was in कुंभ राशि.

This स्नान पर्व  in Haridwar was known as कुंभ पर्व. This astronomical conjunction is referred to in the Naradiya Purana (II.66.44) and the Bhavishya Purana (III.iv.7.37-38).

Mela was held every 12 years. Subsequently. 

कुंभ पर्व of Haridwar became popular, and footfall increased. Armed Akaharas and Naga Sadhus had become a formidable force. Violence marred the 1796 Mela. This led the British Government to shift the Mela to Prayag, to coincide with स्नान पर्व  during the first quarter of the 19^th century, for effective supervision and control^{Trivia 2}.

The name कुंभ पर्व was given to all melas held in other Tirtha places.

The astronomical combinations mentioned, for other कुंभ पर्व ( Nashik, Ujjain, Prayag ) appear to have been added later during the 18^th / 19^th century. The Puranas or the older texts do not mention these.

A brief mention exists in ancient texts regarding bathing rituals, called सिंहस्थ पर्व, on the River Narmada.

There is no basis or historic relevance of अर्ध कुंभ. Logically, if Prayag Kumbh is held when Jupiter is in Aries/Taurus, then for Jupiter to transit into Leo will take 5-6 years. Hence, the interval between two कुंभ is 5-6 years.

On similar lines, the annotation of a Mela to Maha Kumbh status is a later development.

Why Melas are celebrated at a 12-year frequency

Jupiter, one of the brightest celestial bodies visible to the unaided eye, requires approximately 11.8618 years to complete a sidereal revolution around the Sun. For calendrical purposes, this duration is conventionally rounded to a 12-year cycle. Upon the completion of each revolution, Jupiter is observed to return to nearly the same region of the zodiac, thereby providing a readily perceptible marker of time. This astronomical regularity underlies the 12-year recurrence of certain ritual observances and large congregational gatherings such as the melas.

 Jupiter’s orbital period perfectly fits the duodecimal system.

Is the event organised every 12 years? Yes. Is a 12-year interval sacrosanct?  No, it is not. 

After every 7^th 12-year cycle, Jupiter will not be in the same sign. So the 8^th cycle will be of 11 years for Jupiter to be back in the same sign that it was 12 years ago. (On similar lines,s 86^th Samvatsar is expunged). 

See my Blog Jovian Cycles

How 11 years?

1. Sun transits in 365.2425 days

2. Jupiter transits in 361 days.

3. Jupiter lags by, approx. 4.24 days/ year and 50 days or 4 degrees in a cycle of 12 years. By the end of 7 cycles, Jupiter would have shifted by 28 -29 degrees of sidereal longitude.

4. During the 8^th cycle, the event will have to be organised in 11 years to satisfy the condition of Jupiter in a particular sign.

These calculations are based on the apparent motion of Jupiter. The true motion is not uniform and is difficult  to ascertain the exact position for routine rituals. (See Trivia 7 below)

Apparent motion is what is observed from Earth, while true motion represents the actual movement of celestial objects in space.

On similar lines is माघ स्नान पर्व, where the Sun enters मकर राशि / माघ month, which happens yearly. It was an annual festival which was later changed to duodecimal accounting.

144 Years of Logic for Maha Kumbh

Kumbh Mela of 2025 was also called a Maha Kumbh. Some say it is because the planetary position gets repeated in 144 years. 12 times 12, so 144.

There is no astronomical combination repeating in 144 years. In the above example, Jupiter drifts, approximately, 4 degrees in 1 cycle; therefore, in 144 years, Jupiter will drift by 50 degrees and will not return to the same position. On similar lines, the other planets will also drift apart.

For Example:- Assuming Jan 2025 Mela was Maha Kumbh

(Jupiter's positions calculated as of 14 Jan, 0600 hrs at Prayagraj)

• ·         In 2025, Jupiter was in Taurus at 17⁰ 56’, retrograde.
• ·         12 Years earlier, in 2013, Jupiter was in Taurus at 12⁰ 50’.
• ·         60 Years earlier, in 1965, Jupiter was in Aries at 22⁰ 50’
• ·         144 years earlier, in 1881, Jupiter was in Pisces at 20⁰ 13’

Clearly, the position is not repeated in 144 years, as assumed. Jupiter remains in one zodiac sign, approximately, for about 6-7 cycles. When the sign changes, the dharma gurus decide on the date of the mela.

The Prayag Kumbh  Mela was celebrated in 1965 and in 1966; Jupiter was in Aries in 1965 and in Taurus in 1966. Here 7^th-8^th cycle was involved. Dharma Gurus decided to hold the mela in both years.

The following graph illustrates the point.

• The purple line tracks how far Jupiter moves from its 1881 position.
• The green dashed line (~26°) shows the ~60-year near-alignment point.
• The red dashed line (~62.4°) shows where Jupiter ends up after 144 years, far from its original position.

This confirms that 1881 + 144 years = 2025 is not a return to the 1881 configuration.

The 144-year cycle is ritualistic and numerological, and not astronomical.

Trivia

1. Christian missionaries became active in India from 1815 onwards, aiming to convert natives to Christianity. They often targeted Melas as prime opportunities for conversion, and their reports and accounts provide detailed descriptions of these Melas.

2. Akhadas and Naga sadhus were armed to protect themselves against prosecution. They became a formidable force and put fear into the British Government.

3. 12-year cycle of Kumbh Mela, which was followed in Haridwar, later, the same model was adopted in Prayag, to be celebrated along with Magh Mela. The festival's adaptation from Haridwar to Allahabad marked a significant shift in its character and significance.

4. Amongst the Akahras, there is a specific sequence of bathing. This sequence is different at all 4 places. The British Government started this to maintain law and order, and this procedure is still followed.

5. Several stampedes have occurred at the Prayag Kumbh Mela, in 1840, 1906, 1954, 1986, 2013 and 2025. The deadliest of these was the 1954 stampede, which left 800 people dead.

6. The main bathing day at Haridwar and Ujjain is Purnima, and at Prayag and Nashik is on Amavasya.

7. Jupiter’s Movement (Dates may vary depending upon Sidereal or Tropical longitudes)

May 1, 2024 – May 14, 2025: Jupiter transits Taurus.

May 14, 2025 – October 18, 2025: Jupiter enters Gemini.

October 18, 2025 – December 5, 2025: Jupiter enters Cancer.

December 5, 2025 – June 2, 2026: Jupiter retrogrades back into Gemini.

June 2, 2026 – October 31, 2026: Jupiter moves direct into Cancer

 

… For more information and divergent views on Kumbh Mela, large quantities of material are available to read.

________________________________________________________________

References,

1. History of Dharmasastra (Ancient and medieval Religious and Civil Law), v.4, 1st edition, 1953, by PV Kane, pp 55 and Vol 7

2. History of Allahabad Kumbh Mela by Dr Aseem and Dr Manjushree Srivastav.

3. The Modern Beginnings Of The Ancient Kumbh Mela In Allahabad, by Kama MacLean

4. Pilgrimage and Power: The Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, 1765- 1954, Kama Maclean

5. The Foreign Missionary Chronicle" Vol XV, No. 04, April 1847

6. Giorgio Bonazzoli’s Analysis

7. D.P. Dubey, 'Kumbha Mela—An Alternative Interpretation in Mahakumbh’

8. Hindu places of pilgrimage in India (a study in cultural geography)

By Surinder Mohan Bhardwaj

9. Kumbha Mela Pilgrimage To The Greatest Cosmic Fair Edited By D. P. Dubey, Pilgrimage Studies No. 6 Society Of Pilgrimage Studies, Allahabad