The four, in order of size
- Magh Mela — every year, through the month of Magh. The baseline event; Kalpvas is kept during it.
- Ardh Kumbh — roughly every six years at Prayagraj.
- Purna Kumbh — roughly every twelve years, rotating between Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik.
- Maha Kumbh — the twelfth Purna Kumbh in the cycle, at Prayagraj. The largest gathering of people on earth.
The cycle is astronomical, not calendrical
The Kumbh falls according to the positions of Jupiter, the Sun and the Moon rather than a fixed number of years, which is why the interval is described as 'roughly' six or twelve. The exact years are determined by the akhara councils and announced well in advance.
Because of that, do not plan travel from a number in an article — including this one. Check the announced dates for the year you intend to go.
What changes for a visitor
At a Magh Mela the ghats are busy and manageable. At a Kumbh the crowd is at a different order of magnitude, roads close, and the administration routes pilgrims on the principal snan days.
What you carry does not change much. What changes is that you will not be able to buy anything you forgot.
What to carry
For a day snan: the jal vessel, til and daan items, a gamcha and a dry change. For Kalpvas: consumables in month quantities, because deepak oil and wicks run out first.
We deliver to shivirs at the mela ground during the mela. Send the shivir name and sector when you order.
Questions
The Magh Mela is held at Prayagraj every year during Magh. The Kumbh is the larger gathering on an astronomical cycle — roughly every six years for the Ardh Kumbh and twelve for the Purna Kumbh.
Last updated 9 August 2026