Kumbh mela is a very famous fair of India. It is held at different places and it is so large. Every year more than twenty lakh people come to take a sacred dip and bath in river. Kumbh Mela is celebrated in four holy places of India and they are Haridwar, Prayag, Ujjain and Nasik. Kumbh is having some religious and social facts behind it.Varun and Agni are considered as visible God in Hindu religion. Symbol of Varun is Kumbh (Aquarius). Kalash or water pot is used in religious and auspicious rituals. Even a symbol of kalash is considered auspicious. Then Amrit kalash (nectar pot) is somewhat more auspicious. After sea churning (samudra manthan) when Lord Dhanvantri manifested holding nectar pot in his hands, all the Gods and demons run after him to snatch the pot. Jayant, the son of Indra took the nectar from lord Dhanvantri and hid himself with pot for twelve days and twelve nights. During that period he put kalash at twelve places. Among those twelve places eight places are in Devlok (heaven) and four are on Mirtulok (Earth). Kumbh is celebrated at these four places.There is no description of heaven in our sacred books but at Haridwar, Prayag, Ujjain and Nasik this festival takes place after the Astrological calculations. According to that calculation Kumbh is decided to celebrate at Haridwar this year in 2010. According to astrologers Kumbh takes place at Haridwar after every twelve years because planet Sun enters into Aries and Jupiter in Aquarius.This festival of worship, bath, meeting of pious men lasts for a month. This great festival is celebrated nowhere in the world except India. We call this festival Kumbh fair also. But generally there are markets in the fairs and so many fashionable people come there. Plenty of Rajogun (one of the constituent qualities of living being which the cause of is vice) is there in the atmosphere and volatility increases.People import and export camels, horses and other animals in some fairs. But nothing happens like that in Kumbh fair. It is a different fair. In this unique fair, pious people meet and devote themselves in worship. Generally people having interest in self-mortification and austerity go to the Kumbh fair. There is a great importance given to take bath in holy river. Taking dip and bath in holy river not only purifies body but the energy element in the water of river also kills the vices of our heart and soul.There are three benefits of Kumbh fair—contentment from bodily vices with the effect of pilgrimage, release from the vices of heart and soul through bath and devotion and last but not least release from mental vices through the meeting of pious people. The bath of Magh month (eleventh month of traditional Hindu calendar which usually is the month of January) starts on the full moon day of Paush month (December). The objective of such festivals is to purify the body, mind and soul through yoga, Jap, tap and season changing.Taking bath before sunrise in Magh month is directly related to the happiness of body and soul. Happy soul is the base of success. Spiritual elements meet the life during the month of Magh. Life enjoys the merriment and ecstasy of nature.Magh is made up of two words Ma+agh. Ma means no and Agh means sin. So Magh means say no to sin. In this month people try their best to abstain their soul, speech and deeds from sin. They practiced few rules like moderation in food, perpetual silence, living at secluded places, keeping away from desire, austerity and pranayam. These are the six matters through which devotee can attain the pleasures of soul. Few devotees spend a sacred life at the bank of Ganga river during the month of Magh and listen to the preaching of sages and blessed themselves. During this period people get time for self mortification.
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