Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is a major Hindu pilgrimage festival held periodically at four riverbank sites in India. Its central ritual is bathing in sacred rivers on astrologically selected dates.

Shahi Snan: A ceremonial royal bath taken by Hindu ascetics and processions during Kumbh Mela. These processions lead the principal bathing rites on especially auspicious festival dates.
Samudra Manthana: The Hindu myth of gods and demons churning the ocean to obtain amrita, the nectar of immortality. A later tradition links drops of the nectar to the four festival sites.
Naga Sadhu: A Hindu ascetic, often associated with Shaiva orders, who renounces ordinary social life and may practice nudity. Naga sadhus are conspicuous participants in processions and ceremonial baths.
Crowd crush: A dangerous crowd disaster in which pressure within a dense crowd causes injury or death. The festival's immense crowds make crowd-pressure hazards a major safety concern.
Ardh Kumbh Mela: A major Kumbh gathering traditionally held at Prayagraj midway between its twelve-year Kumbh cycles. Its interval and Prayagraj focus distinguish it from the four-site Kumbh cycle.
Prayagraj: An Indian city at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Its Triveni Sangam is the best-known Kumbh Mela bathing site.
Amrita: The nectar of immortality sought by gods and demons in Hindu mythology. The Kumbh origin story explains the sacred status of the festival's river locations through its drops.
Akhara: A Hindu monastic institution or organized order, especially one associated with ascetics and martial traditions. Akhara memberships organize ascetics' participation and precedence at the festival.
Mass gathering: A temporary concentration of large numbers of people at a shared location for an event or purpose. Kumbh Mela is among the world's largest recurring mass gatherings.
Maha Kumbh Mela: A particularly significant Kumbh gathering at Prayagraj, traditionally occurring after twelve Kumbh cycles. Its traditional 144-year cycle sets it apart from more frequent gatherings.

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