The festival transforms Prayagraj into a city of tents, roads filled with people, and makeshift structures to accommodate the massive influx of people.
Shahi Snan: The Sacred Royal Bath
The Maha Kumbh Mela revolves around several rituals, with the bathing ceremony at the Triveni Sangam being the most significant. The Shahi Snan, or royal bath, stands out as the main highlight of the event, featuring grand processions of saints, ascetics, and their disciples marching to the ghats.
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Taking part in the Shahi Snan is considered a powerful spiritual act, believed to amplify blessings of the sacred waters. Pilgrims feel privileged to bathe after saints, whose presence is thought to enhance the spiritual energy of the Sangam.
Millions gather at the Triveni Sangam — where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers converge — believing a holy dip in these waters will cleanse them of sins and liberate them and their ancestors from the cycle of rebirth, leading to Moksha, or spiritual liberation. Along with the bath, pilgrims will perform prayers and offer tributes, which many find spiritually transformative.
Timing of the Shahi Snan
The most significant bathing dates for the Shahi Snan are determined through astrology. These dates are important, as millions of devotees believe that bathing on these days holds the highest spiritual merit.
The royal baths will take place on the following dates:
Paush Purnima: January 13, 2025
Makar Sankranti: January 14, 2025
Mauni Amavasya: January 29, 2025
Basant Panchami: February 3, 2025
Magh Purnima: February 12, 2025
Mahashivratri: February 26, 2025
Pilgrims not only bathe, but offer prayers on the riverbanks and join spiritual discourses led by saints and sadhus, deepening the sacred experience. Key dates, such as Paush Purnima (January 13) and Makar Sankranti (January 14), hold special significance. On these days, grand processions of saints, disciples, and Akhara members gather at the Sangam for the Shahi Snan, marking the official start of the Maha Kumbh Mela.
