Kumbha Mela, the largest religious gathering held every 12 years, is one of the most important festival celebrated in the four major Hindu pilgrim centers of India namely Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. This mammoth fair is held alternatively in these four places, depending on the positions of planets and stars. When Jupiter (Guru) and Sun are in zodiac sign Leo (Simha Rashi) it is celebrated in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik; When Sun is in zodiac sign Aries (Mesha Rashi) it is celebrated at Haridwar; When Jupiter is in zodiac sign Taurus (Vrishabha Rashi ) and Sun is in zodiac sign Capricorn (Makar Rashi) Kumbha Mela is celebrated at Prayag; When Guru and Sun are in zodiac sign scorpio (Vrishchik Rashi) the Mela is celebrated at Ujjain. 

There is a legend behind the fair and it goes like : the gods and the demons made a temporary agreement to work together in obtaining amrit kumbh (the nectar of immortality) from the Milky Ocean and to share this equally. But the demons ran away with the pot of nectar and Lord Vishnu, disguising himself as an enchantress (Mohini), seized it from the demons. While fleeing from the evil ones, Lord Vishnu passed the nectar on to his winged mount, Garuda. The demons finally caught up with Garuda and in the ensuing struggle, a few drops of the precious nectar fell on Allahabad, Nasik, Haridwar and Ujjain. Since then, the Kumbh Mela has been held in all these places, alternatively, every 12 years.

In Nasik , Kumbha mela is held on the banks of river Godavari. Large number of pilgrims, sadhus and holy men attend this magnificent fair and take bathe in the holy river Godavari on a belief that they will get relief from tensions and also cleanse their souls leading to salvation.