Preparation for Kumbh 2025

Kumbh is fulfilment and to experience that we must do sadhana. Kumbh is a yatra, from apurnata to Purnata, from mrityu to Amrit. Its not just travel & sight-seeing.  For a successful yatra, we must prepare ourselves adequately – physically, mentally, intellectually & spiritually before going to Kumbh to benefit maximum from it.  I am sharing a few insights from the scriptures and sadhus that could be helpful. 

These can be done from now till the time you complete your Kumbha Yatra. You can continue some of these even afterwards if you like. 

Physical Preparation: 

1. Eat Sattvik food. No onion and garlic.

2. Live in Brahmacharya. Conserve vital energies. Maximum energies are required for sadhana, dhyana, japa etc. 

3. Sit still, without any movements for atleast 15-20minutes. 

4. Upavas one day before you reach Prayag & before snan, if possible. 

5. Take your sadhana-samagri like Shiva-linga, Shaligrama, Pooja items, japa-mala, asan etc. to do Sadhana there. It will bless you with infinite merit. 

6. Prepare well for Cold. Take enough warm clothes, especially to cover ears, head and the feet. 

7. Take only bare essentials. Avoid very valuable ornaments, equipment etc. 

8. Cold water bath daily

Mental Preparation:

1. Do Ishta Mantra Japa – Minimum 1 mala daily. If you don’t have an ishta devata, choose one. If not, chant Hari om. 

2. Go to Kumbh as a Sadhak, not as a tourist. 

3. Identify one negativity that you will drop at Kumbh when you do Snan(Bath) there. 

Verbal Preparation:

1. Control your speech. Do not gossip or use abusive words etc.  Especially when you are in Kumbh.

2. Learn Triveni Stotram, Prayag Ashtakam. Chant it before & after Snan.  You can download them from here

3. Learn some vedic mantras if you can, with intonations. 

Intellectual Preparation:

1. Know the significance & glory of Prayagraj, Triveni, Kumbh etc. 

2. Set your intentions clearly. Kumbh will bless you with what you seek. 

Spiritual Preparation:

1. Before one embarks on the Teertha Yatra or Kumbh Yatra, one must worship Ganeshji, Pitrs and Gurus etc.  

2. Meditate on the Self. 

3. Pray that you may meet Mahatmas who are enlightened & who can help to awaken us. 

4. Take sufficient money to do some charity/dana there as per your devotion & capacity.  You can donate money, fruits, clothes, food, dry fruits etc. 

May your Kumbh yatra be auspicious & blissful. Har Har Mahadev!

When is Kumbha Mela held?

 

Jupiter or Brihaspati takes approximately 12 years to complete 1 revolution around the Sun. While the world celebrates the new year when Earth completes 1 revolution, in Bharat, we also celebrate the 12-year cycle of Jupiter. We recognise that the gravity of Jupiter protects the Earth from many celestial threats, and life on Earth would have been impossible without Jupiter being in the right place and revolving at the right speed. 

We recognize and celebrate the specific position of Brihaspati (Jupiter) along with the position of Surya in the zodiac, and accordingly, the Kumbh Mela is held at four sacred locations-Haridwar, Prayag, Nashik and Ujjain. 

The year and location of the Kumbh are decided based on the Kumbha-Yoga, determined by the positions of Brihaspati and Surya. For details of the positions refer to the image above or this table below. 

Celestial Body	Prayag	Nasik	Ujjain	Haridwar
Jupiter	Vrshabh (Taurus) / Mesha(Aries)	Simha(Leo)	Simha(Leo)	Kumbh (Aquarius)
Sun	Makar (Capricon)	Simha(Leo)	Mesh (Aries)	Mesh (Aries)
Moon	Makar (Capricon)	Cancer	Mesh (Aries)	Saggittarius

Sri Nityananda Misra says in his book - "Kumbha: The Traditionally Modern Mela": "The Moon takes around one month (27.32 days) to orbit the earth during which it transits through the 12 signs. The Sun transits through the 12 signs in around one year (365.2425 days), the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun. Finally, Jupiter transits through the 12 signs in nearly 12 years (11.8618 years), the time taken by it to orbit the Sun. The transit period of Jupiter being the longest—12 times that of the Sun and around 159 times that of the moon—the kumbha yoga for a location repeats when Jupiter enters the same sign again. This is why the Kumbha Mela is held once every 12 years at a given venue, as a general rule. The seventh Mela after six melas held in 72 years (each held 12 years after the previous one) is held 11 years after the sixth Mela, giving us seven melas in 83 years. The reason is that Jupiter completes seven transits of the zodiac in nearly 83 years (11.8618 × 7 = 83.0326), and moves to the next sign in the 84th year. This is why the Haridwar Kumbha was held in 1938 after 1927 and the Prayaga Kumbha was held in 1977 after 1966. The last Kumbha in Haridwar was in 2010 (1938 + 72), but the next one will be in 2021 (1938 + 83 = 2010 + 11). While 12 years is an overestimate for the time taken by Jupiter to transit through the 12 zodiac signs once, 83 years is an underestimate for seven such transits. Fortunately, 83.0326 is very close to 83, so the thumb rule of seven Kumbha Melas in 83 years works well for a reasonably long period of time." Hence Kumbh is decided based on the position of Jupiter & the Sun.  

At each location, when kumbha occurs once in 12 years, it is called Purna Kumbh. However, the term "Purna Kumbh" is commonly used only for Prayag and Haridwar. For Nashik and Ujjain, it is simply called Kumbh. Additionally, Ardha Kumbh (half Kumbh) was introduced some time ago and occurs every 6 years, but only in Prayag and Haridwar. Based on these, the distinctions between Kumbh, Ardha Kumbh, and Purna Kumbh are made. As of now, I haven’t come across any scriptural references about a Mahakumbh being celebrated every 144 years. If anyone has details, please share them with me.

If someone says that Kumbh happens every 3 years in rotation across the 4 locations, it can be confusing because sometimes, in the same year, Kumbh and/or Ardha and/or Purna Kumbh are held at different venues, such as in 2004 and 2016. Multiple Kumbhs in the same year occur because of the Kumbha-Yoga.

The Amrit Snan dates are determined by the tithi, which is based on the lunar phases. As the moon influences both ocean tides and human physiology, the snan dates at Kumbh are calculated using a unique astronomical alignment of Brihaspati (Jupiter), Surya (Sun), and Chandra (Moon).

See the mapping of Kumbh from 1983 to 2033 to understand the above description about Kumbh

Greatness through Resolutions(Sankalpa)

The first step to greatness is a sankalpa that refuses to waver. Did you know that every great achievement starts with just one powerful sankalpa?

 

So, what’s a sankalpa? It’s a deep intention or resolve that aligns your BMI(Body, Mind & Intellect) toward an inspiring, uplifting, meaningful goal.

 

Here are 8 steps from the Bhagavad Geeta to fulfil your sankalpa:

1. Get clear about what you want. Write it down as if it’s already true.
   Write down your sankalpa clearly. Avoid negative or ambiguous language. For example, instead of “I will be more fit and less lazy” say, “I am disciplined to do exercise daily for 30min in the morning.”
2. Ensure it Aligns with Higher Values:
   Your sankalpa should align with your personal growth, spiritual progress & the greater good. When rooted in selflessness or dharma, it becomes more potent. “Higher the goal, greater the inspiration.” – Swami Chinmayananda. Based on Geeta Ch.2 Verse 49
3. Repeat with Faith and Emotion:
   Faith(Shraddha) in your sankalpa is an intellectual conviction about why you want it.  Emotion(Bhavana) is a mental feeling about how it will make you feel good after you achieve it. Aligning both Mind & intellect is a powerful way to achieve your sankalpa.  Recite your sankalpa daily during meditation, prayer, especially in a calm state of mind (like after deep relaxation). Feel the emotion of its fulfilment as you say it.
4. Use the Power of Visualization:
   Regularly visualize your sankalpa fulfilled. This reinforces the belief and sends clear signals to the subconscious mind.
5. Take small, consistent steps toward it—even if it feels hard:
   While the power of intention is immense, action is essential. Align your daily actions with your sankalpa to create momentum. Do not entertain actions that are contrary to or which will weaken or dilute your sankalpa. Geeta Chapter 6 verse 5
6. Practice Patience and Perseverance(Dhriti):
   You’ll face doubts, distractions, and setbacks. That’s when you remind yourself: Why did I start this journey? Your sankalpa is stronger than your obstacles. Your sankalpa is your inner compass—hold onto it, and it will guide you through the storm. Geeta Ch.18 Verse 33
7. Maintain Purity of Thought and Lifestyle:
   Negative thoughts, words, or habits can dilute the energy of your sankalpa. Strive for inner purity and balance. Swami Chinmayananda said, “Think conducive and not contrary to your sankalpa.  Do not entertain self-cancellation of thoughts.”  
8. Surrender the Outcome:
   After making your sankalpa, let go of attachment to the result. Trust the Higher Intelligence/Bhagawan to work it out for you.  “Do the best and leave the rest.” - Swami Chinmayananda. Geeta Ch.2 Verse 47.

 

Sankalpa isn’t just a wish; it’s the seed of your destiny. Nurture it with faith and action. Your sankalpa is the fuel for your dreams. Keep going! The world is waiting for your light!