Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbha mela is a Hindu religious mela held every 12 years in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, IndiaThe last Simhastha Kumbhamela was held at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar in the year 2015. Next event of Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbhamela in 2027. The Kumbh Festival,a human congregation of spirituality is held at Nashik-Trimbakeshwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar and Ujjain.

Ardh Kumbh is held at Prayag and Haridwar after every six years.The Kumbh Fair is held at the banks of sacred rivers every 12 years. At Nashik – Trimabkeshwar it is held at the banks of river Godavari. At Prayag it is held at sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganga-Yamuna and the invisible Saraswati, at the banks of Ganga at Haridawar and at the banks of Kshipra at Ujjain. It is marked by the fact that millions of people participate in this great fair without any summons, call, notice or invitation.

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. 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 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. As mentioned in the Skanda purana, kumbhmela is not just celebrated where the amrit kalasa was put down , but where the nectar had spilled alongwith putting down of the kalasa.

When the Jupiter is in Taurus or Vrishabha (zodiac sign) and the Sun and Moon are in Capricorn or Makra, the kumbha is held at Prayag. When the Jupiter enters in Leo or Simha (zodiac sign) and the Sun and Moon in Cancer, the Kumbha is held at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. When Jupiter is in Leo and the Sun and Moon in Aries, the Kumbha is held at Ujjain. Since Jupiter is in zodiac Simha the Kumbh is held at Trimbakeshwar and Nashik and Ujjain , it is known as Simhastha Kumbh.

https://www.nashikinfo.in/kumbhmela/