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Mythological significance of Kumbh revolves around the story of the samudra manthan or ocean churning which was done by the gods and demons to obtain the invaluable ratnas or the jewels and amrita or the nectar of immortality. The mountain Mandrachala become churning stick and the Nagraja Vasuki acted as the rope. The Lord Vishnu himself took form of Kasava or tortoise and provided base for the mountain Mandrachala with fear that it may get slipped and submerged in the ocean. The story is symbolic of the churning of our minds to go deeper into our selves from where all powers and auspicious things arise, eventually leading to liberation or immortality.
The first to emerge in this churning was a venomous poison which was consumed by the Lord Shiva who upon drinking this poison came to be called as the Nilkantha. The churning continues and emerged Kamdhenu, the Uccaishrava Jayanta, the son of Lord Indra , catching sight of the amrita kalasa or the pot filled with nectar, snatched it from the the hands of God Dhanvantari. Noticing this, Lord Shukracharya , the Guru of demons alerted and demons chased Jayanta. According to the divine counting one day of Gods is equal to the one year of mortal beings and the Jayanta kept on running for 12 days to avoid amrit kalasha to fall in the hands of demons.
The four places where Jayanta had put down the amrit kalasha in these twelve years were Haridwar, Prayag, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar and Ujjain, and at these four places at that time the sun, moon ,and planets had reached the unique astrological alignment, during which are kumbhmela is held at these places. The nectar pot was saved from the demons by God Brihaspati with the help of Sun , his son Lord Shani and Moon who saved the nectar kumbh from getting damaged.
The normal Kumbh Mela is held every 3 years, the Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is held every six years at Haridwar and Allahabad (Prayag) while the Purna (complete) Kumbh mela takes place every twelve years, at four places Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik, based on planetary movements. The Maha Kumbh Mela is celebrated at Prayag after 144 years (after 12 ‘Purna Kumbh Melas’).
