There are few things in this world which might gain your attention to the fullest. One such major attraction has to be that of Kumbh Mela, which is often considered as the largest fair or gathering of people for religious purposes right on time.
It takes place once in every 12 years, and people from various corners of the world are invited to come and join it. This fair is so huge and with so many devotes coming from around the nation that the gathering can even be seen from the space!
What is Ardh Mela:
Now, you might have even heard of the term Ardh Kumbh, which is gaining quite some popularity as well as the main Kumbh. Now, it is mandatory for you to know what Ardh Kumbh actually is. Ardh means half, so it means this fair takes place once in every 6 years unlike the Kumbh, and it even showcases people from various corners of the world. It is primarily the smaller version of the Kumbh Mela, but still quite a large gathering. This year, that is, the Ardh Kumbh 2019 is likely to take place in Allahabad, which is one of the four places where this gathering usually takes place.
The History Behind This Story:
Kumbh is a term, which is mainly derived from an immortal pot of nectar, which the Demigods and the Demons fought over. This story is well described in the ancient Vedic scriptures, which is also called Puranas. These literature have easily stood the test of time, and the one story which is quite fresh still in the minds of devotees has to be this story of The Kumbh Mela. According to the legend, the demigods and the demons churn the sea to produce this nectar of immortality.
More about the Legend:
After churning out the nectar, everyone wants it. But, the demigods, because of being cursed, were full of fear that eventually made them quite weak. As the task becomes quite study for them, they end up into a mutual agreement with the demons to complete it and share the nectar of immortality. It is primarily stated that the demons and the demigods assembled on the shore of Milk Ocean, which actually lies in the celestial region of the cosmos. Then the process started and it took quite some time to finish.
The Churning Task:
For covering this churning task, the Mandara Mountain was noted and used as the churning rod and Vasuki, who was also the king of the serpent, played the role of a rope. The demigods hold Vasuki’s tail and demons were using the head side. At first, this churning of the ocean produced a deadly poison, which Lord Shiva gladly drank the whole of it, till its last drop. Even during this churning, the Mountain Mandara starts to sink deep into the ocean. Seeing that, Lord Vishnu took the avatar of the tortoise and supported it on his back. Later, the nectar evolved.
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