There is ample evidence in historical manuscripts and inscriptions of an annual Magha Mela in Hinduism – with periodic larger gatherings after 6 or 12 years – where pilgrims gathered in massive numbers and where one of the rituals included a sacred dip in a river or holy tank. However, there is no historical literary evidence of these mass pilgrimages called "Kumbha Mela" prior to the 19th century. The festival is traditionally credited to the 8th-century Hindu philosopher and saint Adi Shankara, as a part of his efforts to start major Hindu gatherings for philosophical discussions and debates along with Hindu monasteries across the Indian subcontinent.
The seekers believe that bathing in these rivers is a means to prāyaścitta (atonement, penance) for past mistakes, and that it cleanses them of their sins. The festival is marked by a ritual dip in the waters, but it is also a celebration of community commerce with numerous fairs, education, religious discourses by saints, mass feedings of monks or the poor, and entertainment spectacle. It is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years, to celebrate every revolution Brihaspati ( Jupiter) completes, at four river-bank pilgrimage sites: the Allahabad (Prayagraj) ( Ganges- Yamuna- Sarasvati rivers confluence), Haridwar (Ganges), Nashik ( Godavari), and Ujjain ( Shipra). Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela ( / ˌ k ʊ m b ˈ m eɪ l ə/) is a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism.
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