Naga Sadhus in the Kumbh Mela, traditionally they don’t wear any clothes at all and have no material possessions

The name of Haridwar is linked with The Kumbh mela which is a large pilgrimage festival and is held every year in April at the beginning of the Hindu solar year. Every twelve years the great festival of Maha Kumbh Mela is held. Besides, every six years an Ardh Kumbh, or half Kumbh. These gatherings are perhaps amongst the largest of human congregations in the world. During these important festivals millions of pilgrims throng to Haridwar from all over India. The local hotels and Dharamshalas are not enough to house the crowds and huge campsites are set up to cater to the teaming millions. According to astrologers, the 'Kumbh Fair' takes place when the planet Jupiter enters Aquarius (called as Kumbh in Sanskrit or Pot) and the Sun enters Aries. According to Hindu mythology, during the churning of the ocean or samudramanathan, the 'Devas' (Gods) and 'Asuras' (Demons) churned the ocean to obtain Nectar or amruta. When the coveted ‘Kumbh’ or pitcher of nectar was obtained from the depths of ocean, one of the gods whisked away the 'Kumbh' from the ‘Asuras’ to prevent the Asuras from getting it. As he ran heavenward with the Kumbh, a few drops of the nectar spilled at four places: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayag), Nasik and Ujjain. This is the mythological reason for the choice of the four destinations for the Kumbh melas that attracts thousands of sages, saints and pilgrims.


Next Kumbh Dates:
Dates for the Maha Kumbh Festival (every 12 years in 4 locations).

A sadhu (holyman) performing austerities

In 2010, March-April, Ardh Kumbh Mela will be held at Haridwar.

In 2013, January 27th to February 25th Maha Kumbh Mela will be held in Allahabad (Prayag).

In 2015, August 15th to September 13th Maha Kumbh Mela will be held in Nasik.

In 2016, April 22nd to May 21st Maha Kumbh Mela will be held in Ujjain

An important festival in northern India, it marks the beginning of season change. It is the time of the sun’s movement towards the north and is called Uttarayan. It is celebrated as Kite festival. In Gujarat People give alms to the poor on this day and take dips in holy rivers. For it is believed that all good deeds performed on this day have a multifold effect. Uttarayani fair is held around this time. Another locally celebrated festival around this time is Ghughutia or Kale Kauva. People make sweetmeats of flour and jaggery and make it in the shape of pomegranates, sword, knives and other such interesting shapes. A necklace is made with these then with an orange in the centre. Little children wear these and go out to attract crows and other birds and offer them pieces from their necklaces.

A popular festival in northern India, Basant Panchami heralds the spring, 40 days before the onset of spring season. It is usually celebrated sometime between mid January to mid February. Yellow is the color of the day - yellow clothes, yellow flowers and yellow rice. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on this day, she is considered to be the goddess of knowledge and so the festival holds special importance for school going children. It is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar and is considered a good time to get married, buy property or start a new venture.

The festival is celebrated in the beginning of month of Chaitra according to the Hindu calendar, which comes sometime in mid March. It is mainly a festival of young girls, where in they go from house to house with plates full of rice, jaggery, coconut, green leaves and flowers. These girls give their blessings and wishes for the prosperity of the house and are given presents, jaggery, sweets, and money in return.

This festival is celebrated on first day of navaratri. It's an important Kumaoni festival where women fill baskets with soil and sow seven different kinds of seeds in them. On the tenth day when the seeds have germinated and grown into grasses they are plucked and placed in the hair and tucked behind the ears. It is during this time that brothers send gifts to their sisters. The presents are called Bhaituali.

The festival is celebrated on the first day of August or Bhado as it is called in the Hindu calendar. This is the time when the fields are lush green and the harvest is plenty. Traditionally this was a time when young men would give presents to their father in laws and uncles. The special food associated to this festival is chapattis stuffed with ghee and urad dal in it. The festival‘s is not as popular as it once used to be.

While some say that the festival is celebrated in lieu of victory of king of Kumaon, the popular belief goes that the festival marks the beginning of autumn season. It's celebrated sometime in mid September, the first day of the month of Ashwin according to the Hindu calendar. Bonfires are lighted around which children dance. People offer cucumbers to fire as it is said to destroy all the evils. Special care is taken of animals during this time.

Another popular festival celebrated in the entire northern India by married women for the well being of their spouses. The festival is celebrated on the last day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshtha according to the Hindu calendar. Women worship Savitri who with her intense devotion brought her husband from death and observe fats. They also worship a holy tree called Bat or Banyan tree.

The festival is celebrated sometime between May and June on the tenth day of the month of Jyeshtha according to the Hindu calendar. This is the day of worshipping river Ganga and people take a dip in holy rivers. Many people put up stalls and offer water and food.

The Kavad Mela is a very important festival in Haridwar. It usually occurs in the months of July & August. Millions of people from neighboring villages carry pots on their shoulders and heads and bring them to Haridwar on foot, many of them walking hundreds of kilometers. They fill their pots with water from Ganga and after making an offering at the Neel Kantha Temple in Rishikesh and then head back to their respective villages. The festival also occurs before Maha Shiv Ratri (the great night of Shiva) in March-April.