A R D H K U M B H M E L A Ujjain - INDIA
The very auspicious Ardh Kumbh Mela that takes place once every 6 years in India is falling in 2007 - Allahabad. The special dates for taking auspicious holy bath are as follows:
Introduction:
Mahakleshwar Temple, UjjainThe origin of the festival lie in the ancient belief in the conflict between the gods and the demons over the possession of the “Amrit Kumbh”, a pitcher filled with nectar.
After the churning of the “Kshir Sagar” - the milky ocean - jointly between the gods and the demons, there arose a dispute between the two sides. The legend says one of the fleeing gods whisked the pitcher from his pursuers, and on his way to heaven, rested at Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain, where some drops of the liquid fell.
Venue : Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh (Central India).
UJJAIN (City of Victory),
Ujjain is the modern name for Ujjayini, is located on the banks of river Shipra- in central India. Legend has it that the hoary past, the God like king Shiva of Avanti commemorated his victory over the demon-ruler of Tripura or Tripuri on the banks of the Narmada by changing the name of his capital, Avantipura to Ujjayini (one who conquers with pride).
Ujjain is one of the best known cities of ancient India and one of Hinduism’s seven holy cities and one of the four centres of the Kumbh Mela, attracting about three million pilgrims every 12 years, for sacred bathing. At other times, a constant stream come to bathe in the river Shipra and worship at the temples. In its heyday, Ujjain was on a flourishing trade route to Mesopotamia and Egypt.