Significance of Kumbha Mela ...

     Significance of Kumbha Mela is that it offers the chance to attain liberation from the endless suffering of existence and to merge with the Brahman. The legend of Kumbh Mela begins with the search of Amrut in Puranas.
    Brahma Purana and Vishnu Purana state that bathing in month of Magh at Prayag or Sangam (Allahabad) is equal to millions of Ashvamedha rituals. The bathing ritual is equal to circumambulating the earth one million times. The Kumbh Mela bathing ritual also washes away sins of several generations.
  Rig Veda also talks about the importance of the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical river Saraswathi at Prayag. The importance of the ritual can therefore be traced back to Rig Veda.
The ritual is also mentioned in the Varaha Purana and the Matsya Purana.
Liberation or merging with the Brahman is the main significance of Kumbh Mela.
    It is also believed that the ashram of the great sage Bharadvaja where Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman stayed during their exile was located at the Sangam.
The Sangam or Prayag finds mention in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Mahabharata states that Lord Brahma conducted a yagna at Sangam. The Pandavas is also said to have visited the Sangam.
Several great saints including Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Shankaracharya is believed to have visited the Sangam and the Kumbh Mela.


Happy Maha - kumbh  2010 ...