Allahabad, one of the prominent and sacred cities of india, is described with great reverence in ancient scriptures as Prayag or Teerathraj, i.e. 'the holiest pilgrimage centre, The city is situated at the confluence of India's holiest rivers - The Ganga, The Yamuna and The Mythical Saraswati. The Sangam, as the confluence of these three rivers is called, is the venue of sacred fairs & rituals and attracts large number of pilgrims throughout the year. With the irresistible attraction of Kumbh Fair, hailed as the world's largest congregation of Devotees, the glory of the city has certainly doubled. The Kumbh Fair is held every 12th year and Ardh Kumbh Fair every 6th year.

Maha Kumbh has a mesmerizing influence over the minds of Indians as it is witness to the largest human garthering in history for the same cause on a single day irrespective of any worldy barriers of caste, creed, colour and religion. It is once in a lifetime experience seeing millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world come together for a common goal-this spectacle of Faith is truly unforgettable.

This festival is held in highest regard as the ritual bath in the sacred water on this day saturated with flower & incense fragrance amidst chanting of vedic hyms and mantras liberates one from all suffering and miseries of life . The Kumbh Mela considered the most sacred and greatest of india festivals where the ceremonial dip in the Holy river is an important ritual. It is belived that bathing on the auspicious days cleanses one of all sins and attains Moksha (meaning liberation from the cycle of life, Death and Rebirth).

Source: http://www.up-tourism.com/mahakumbh.htm

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