The Difference Between Kumbh And Mahakumbh

What are Kumbh and Mahakumbh and what is the difference between them?

By Intimate Viewpoint

The "Kumbh" and "Mahakumbh" are both religious gatherings held in four specific places (Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, And Nashik) in India. The location of the Kumbh Mela is decided by the alignment of the sun, moon, and Jupiter and the zodiac signs they are in.

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The major difference between the Kumbh and Mahakumbh is that the Kumbh is held every 12 years and the Mahakumbh occurs after 12 cycles (144 years) of the 12-year Purna kumbh. The Mahakumbh occurs due to a rare alignment of planets. 

What is Kumbh, Ardha Kumbh, Purna Kumbh and Mahakumbh? 

The Kumbh Mela is held in 3 years, Ardha Kumbh in 6 years, Purna Kumbh in 12 years, and Mahakumbh in 144 years or 12 cycles of Purna Kumbh. Ardha Kumbh is held in Haridwar and Prayagraj every 6 years.

The story behind Kumbh and Mahakumb

The story of Kumbh and Mahakumbh starts from the story of 'Samudra Manthan' (the churning of the ocean). A full pot of nectar appeared during this event. The Nector or mortality became a great subject of disputes between Gods and Demons and also a great challenge for the Gods to preserve the nectar from the Demons. Lord Vishnu was the only one who could do this job. He transformed himself into a beautiful lady (Mohini). Mohini took the pot of Nectar and started running, four drops from the pot spilled into the rivers of the four Kumbh Mela sites and became a holy place. Hence bathing in these rivers during Kumbh Mela is called "Amrit Snaan" or bathing in nectar. The nectar had been preserved by the Gods. The deities also played a major role in protecting the pot of Nectar. The moon protected it from overflowing, the sun preserved it from breaking, Jupiter guarded it from Demons and Saturn made sure it was safe. These contributions of the deities became a major part of the Kumbh Mela as it occurs as per the alignment of the sun, moon, Jupiter, and Saturn. Finally, Lord Vishnu succeeded in saving the nectar and distributed it among the Gods, stopped the battle, and made these locations sacred forever.