President Murmu hoists flag to open Nashik Kumbh Mela preparations
India’s President Droupadi Murmu hoisted a sacred saffron flag at Ramkund in Nashik on Saturday, 31 October, formally opening preparations for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings. The ceremony, known as the dhwajarohan, marks the official start of the build-up to the festival, whose main bathing days fall in 2027.
The flag was raised at 12:02 pm on a 51-foot pole beside Ramkund, the sacred bathing tank on the banks of the Godavari River. President Murmu also performed the ritual worship of the flag and the Ganga Pujan. The flag was hoisted at the same time at Kushavarta Tirtha in Trimbakeshwar, the gathering’s second site, about 30 kilometres away.
Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, both deputy chief ministers and leaders of the 13 akharas, the orders of Hindu holy men, attended the ceremony. “I feel deeply happy to be here. I consider myself fortunate to participate in this grand ceremony,” President Murmu said, calling the Kumbh Mela a symbol of faith and social unity.
The Kumbh Mela rotates between four holy sites in India and returns to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar every 12 years; the last Nashik gathering was in 2015. This time the festival is expected to run for 21 months, from 2026 to 2028, with the first main bathing day, the Amrit Snan, on 2 August 2027. Organisers expect around 120 million people to attend, and more than Rs 3,500 crore has been set aside for preparations.
Why it matters
The flag-hoisting is the starting gun for one of India’s biggest logistical operations. Nashik, a city of about 2.5 million people, must finish roads, bathing ghats, water, sanitation and crowd-management systems before pilgrims arrive in large numbers.
It also matters for the Godavari itself. Days before the ceremony, the state pollution board warned Nashik’s civic body after river samples taken on 5 October failed quality standards. Keeping the river clean for ritual bathing will be a key test.
What happens next
Work on roads, ghats and pilgrim facilities should now speed up, with most of the main building planned for completion before pilgrims arrive ahead of the first Amrit Snan in August 2027. Officials will also publish the full bathing calendar and travel guidance in the coming months.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://hiindia.com/kumbh-mela-a-symbol-of-cultural-and-spiritual-power-president-murmu/ (IANS, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.newsprime.in/nashik-kumbh-goals-to-outmatch-prayagrajs/ (News Prime, 29 October 2026)
- https://nashikkumbhmela.co.in/president-murmu-nashik-visit-kumbh-mela-dhwajarohan/ (Nashik Kumbh Mela, 29 October 2026)
