Hinduism Today
NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 14, 2004: Hinduism Today’s Delhi correspondent investigated why the Ujjain Kumbha Mela is being held just one year after the Nashik Kumbha Mela. The common, and mistaken, understanding is that the Mela is held every three years in rotation through four cities. But journalist Arun Khonde of Nashik explained to Rajiv that each city has its own independent cycle of the 12 years. So the Mela is held once in 12 years at each place, but not with a three year gap — the cycles are independent of each other. Also, Haridwar and Allahabad (Prayag) hold Melas on the half cycle, every six years, and now Prayag is holding one every year, though on a smaller scale. He also said that the next Kumbha Mela in Ujjain is going to be held after 11 years due to special planetary positions and that this has happened in the past as well. The result is the Mela in Ujjain will proceed the next one at Nashik.