How did the Kumbh Mela begin?

How the tradition of gathering for Kumbh started. Once there was a king called Bagiratha who was a farmers’ leader. Those farmers faced a severe water crisis then, which made him to take a pledge of bringing down the Ganga who had been dwelling on the mountains. Along with his 60000 farmers, he worked day in and day out to realize his dream. Finally, Ganga came down to the plains. The farmers on both the side of her started practicing agriculture; their homes became prosperous and their souls were liberated……..

Till the time of Bagiratha, there were no big issues on sharing her water among the farmers. But the next generation did not kept quiet; the farmers started fighting with each other. The climax came to settle down these issues. Farmers met the Rishis. The then king was also present. Wise Rishis said, “See Ganga is not ours, not even yours; everybody has the right to use her waters but also we have the duty to conserve our Ganga for her unobstructed flow, for generations! Importantly, the king has higher responsibility of implementing this understanding”. Every one nodded and the tradition of Kumbh started at that very moment. For generations, common people, saints and even the kings gathered for Kumbh to show their solidarity in conserving the purity of Ganga.

Today Kumbh is just a ritual. It is polluting Ganga like anything.