Kumbh Mela 2016

The Kumbh Mela is the largest spiritual gathering in the World.

Held every 12 years in four differnt cities along the River Ganges, the festival attracts around 100 million pilgrims to bath in the holy waters to cleanse themselves of past sins and karma in their present and past lives.

Four places are believed to have acquired mystical powers. Because 12 days of Gods are equivalent to 12 years for humans; the Kumbh Mela is celebrated once every 12 years in each of the four places - Nasik, Ujjain, Haridwar, and Allahabad, where the drops of sacred nectar are believed to have fallen.

Ujjain hosted the Kumbh Mela this year and within the month long event several days are considered to have significant importance and marked as Holy bathing days. Shukla/Akshey Tritya (Second Pramukh Snan) held on the 9th of March on the river Shipra was home to some 10 million pilgrims. Amongst those pilgrims were an army of 3000 Naga (naked) Sadhus, who came together in a ceremonial procession watched by the many millions of pilgrims, followed by a 4am ritual bathing which had no public access.