Upcoming Kumbh Mela dates, 2026–2050
Every confirmed and provisional Kumbh Mela date across the four host cities for the next 24 years, in the order they actually occur — led by the Nashik–Trimbakeshwar cycle that's live right now. For the running countdown and the astronomy behind these dates, see our homepage.
Happening now
Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh
The current cycle begins with the Dhwajarohan (flag-hoisting) at Nashik–Trimbakeshwar on 31 October 2026, which marks the formal start, and the principal Amrit Snan days follow roughly nine months later.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 31 Oct 2026 | Dhwajarohan — official commencement |
| 2 Aug 2027 | First Amrit Snan — Ashadh Somvati Amavasya |
| 31 Aug 2027 | Second Amrit Snan — Shravan Amavasya |
| 11 Sep 2027 | Third Amrit Snan (Vaishnava) — Bhadrapada Shukla Ekadashi |
| 12 Sep 2027 | Third Amrit Snan (Shaiva) — Kushavarta Tirtha, Trimbakeshwar |
| 24 Jul 2027 | Flag Hoisting Ceremony (secondary) |
| 5 Sep 2027 | Rishi Panchami |
| 15 Sep 2027 | Bhadrapada Purnima |
| 11 Oct 2027 | Ashwin Shudh Ekadashi |
| 15 Oct 2027 | Ashwin Purnima |
| 10 Nov 2027 | Kartik Shudh Ekadashi |
| 14 Nov 2027 | Kartik Purnima |
| 26 Jan 2028 | Mouni Amavasya |
| 1 Feb 2028 | Vasant Panchami |
| 8 Feb 2028 | Ganga–Godavari Mahotsav |
| 27 Feb 2028 | Maha Shivratri |
| 25 May – 2 Jun 2028 | Ganga Dussehra Utsav |
| 24 Jul 2028 | Flag Lowering — official conclusion |
Why we lead with this one
Nashik–Trimbakeshwar is the date to plan around first
Of every row in the tables on this page, one deserves priority over the rest: it's the only Kumbh currently open, and the only one where booking decisions are due now rather than years out.
- It's already running. Dhwajarohan on 31 October 2026 opened the grounds; everything else on this calendar is either archived history or a projection several years out.
- Two venues, one trip. Ramkund and Kushavarta Tirtha sit 28–30 km apart, so a single visit can realistically cover both sacred sites — unlike Haridwar or Prayagraj, which are single-venue events.
- A monsoon-season window. The 2 Aug, 31 Aug and 11–12 Sep 2027 Amrit Snan dates fall in India's rainy season — accommodation near Nashik and Trimbakeshwar fills up earlier than the crowd numbers might suggest, simply because there's less of it to go around.
Read the complete Nashik–Trimbakeshwar guide → for site history, Akhada camp locations, and travel routes into both towns.
Keep watching this cycle
The live countdown lives on our homepage
We run a running day-by-day countdown to the next Amrit Snan, alongside a deeper look at why Jupiter's transit through Leo makes this specific cycle unusual.
See the live Nashik countdown →Full rotation
Every Kumbh, 2026 through 2050
The complete long-range calendar. "Purna" marks a full Kumbh; "Ardh" marks the smaller half-cycle event at Haridwar or Prayagraj.
| Type | City & River | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Purna Kumbh (Simhastha) | Nashik–Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra | 2026–27 |
| Ardh Kumbh | Haridwar, Uttarakhand | 2027 |
| Purna Kumbh (Simhastha) | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | 2028 |
| Ardh Kumbh | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | 2031* |
| Purna Kumbh | Haridwar, Uttarakhand | 2033 |
| Purna Kumbh | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | 2037 |
| Purna Kumbh (Simhastha) | Nashik–Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra | 2039 |
| Ardh Kumbh | Haridwar, Uttarakhand | 2039 |
| Purna Kumbh (Simhastha) | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | 2040 |
| Ardh Kumbh | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | 2043 |
| Purna Kumbh | Haridwar, Uttarakhand | 2045 |
| Purna Kumbh | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | 2049 |
*Some sources give 2030 for Prayagraj's next Ardh Kumbh. Years beyond 2028 are projected from each city's 12-year cycle and may shift by a year as each event approaches — Haridwar's 2021 Kumbh, for example, came after 11 years rather than 12. Always confirm exact dates with official sources closer to the year.
The method
How every date on this calendar is actually worked out
Kumbh Mela dates aren't picked administratively — they fall out of a fixed astronomical calculation that's been used for centuries, refined to the day only as each event gets closer.
Step 1 — Jupiter decides the city
Jupiter (Brihaspati) takes roughly 11.86 years to complete one loop through the zodiac. Its transit through Leo (Simha) points to Nashik–Trimbakeshwar; through Aquarius (Kumbha) with the Sun in Aries, to Haridwar; through Scorpio with the Sun and Moon in Capricorn, to Prayagraj; and with the Sun in Scorpio, to Ujjain.
Step 2 — the Panchang narrows the window
Once the host year is fixed, the traditional Hindu lunisolar calendar (Panchang) is used to identify the specific tithis — lunar days — within that window that carry the greatest ritual significance: Amavasyas, Purnimas, Sankrantis and Ekadashis.
Step 3 — the state administration confirms it
The provisional dates calculated this way are cross-checked and formally announced by the host state's administration together with the Akhada Parishad, usually 6–12 months before the Mela begins. This is the point at which a date moves from "projected" to "confirmed" on our tables above.
Why this matters for planning
Two different kinds of certainty
The city and rough year of every event through 2050 is effectively locked in by planetary mechanics — that part of this calendar won't change. The exact day of Amrit Snan events more than a couple of years out is our best current calculation, not a government-confirmed date. Treat near-term dates (this cycle, 2026–28) as reliable for booking, and long-range dates (2031 onward) as a planning reference to revisit closer to the year.
Quick reference
Kumbh terms used on this calendar
So every row in the tables above makes sense without flipping to another page.
- Purna Kumbh
- The full-scale event, held once every 12 years at each of the four cities.
- Ardh Kumbh
- The smaller "half" Kumbh at Haridwar or Prayagraj, roughly midway through the 12-year cycle.
- Simhastha
- The name used for the Kumbh when Jupiter transits Leo — applies to Nashik and Ujjain's editions.
- Amrit Snan
- The handful of designated royal-bathing days within a Kumbh, believed to carry the greatest spiritual weight.
- Dhwajarohan
- The flag-hoisting ceremony that formally opens a Kumbh's ritual calendar, months before the main bathing days.
- Magh Mela
- A smaller annual gathering at Prayagraj in years without a Kumbh — not shown in the long-range table above.
Frequently asked
Questions about this calendar
Through 2050, covering every Purna and Ardh Kumbh across Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik–Trimbakeshwar and Ujjain, calculated from the established 12-year rotation.
Nashik–Trimbakeshwar, since it's the only Kumbh currently open — Dhwajarohan took place on 31 October 2026, and the three main Amrit Snan days fall on 2 Aug, 31 Aug and 11–12 Sep 2027. See our full Nashik guide or the live countdown on our homepage.
The host city and year are reliable that far out, since they follow Jupiter's fixed zodiac cycle. Exact day-level Amrit Snan dates are only finalised closer to each event — treat long-range dates as a planning reference, not a booking date.
Each host city runs its own independent 12-year cycle, so a Purna Kumbh at one city and an Ardh Kumbh at another can land in the same calendar year — as they do in 2027 and 2028.
This page lists every milestone in a Kumbh's full ritual calendar — flag ceremonies, festival days, and bathing dates together. Our Amrit Snan Dates page isolates just the royal-bathing days across every upcoming city.
Yes — provisional years are refined as each event approaches and confirmed once the host state administration and Akhada Parishad publish the finalised schedule.
Related reading
Plan around these dates
What Is Kumbh Mela
The origin story and spiritual meaning behind the festival.
Travel Guide
Practical packing, safety and arrival tips for first-time visitors.
Completed Events
An archive of past Melas and Magh Melas, for reference.
Kumbh Mela Start Date
Exactly what "starts" a Kumbh — and when, this cycle.
Kumbh Mela End Date
The final Amrit Snan vs the formal closing ceremony.
Next Kumbh — Dates & Places
The full upcoming sequence, not just the next one.