Chaitra Shukla 15, 22nd April, 2016 (Friday)
Vaishakh Krishna 9, 1st May, 2016 (Sunday) to Vaishakh Krishna 30, 6th May, 2016 (Friday)
Vaishakh Krishna 11, 3rd May, 2016 (Tuesday)
Vaishakh Krishna 30, 6th May, 2016 (Friday)
Vaishakh Shukla 3, 09th May, 2016 (Monday)
Vaishakh Shukla 5, 11th May, 2016 (Wednesday)
Vaishakh Shukla 9, 15th May, 2016 (Sunday)
Chaitra Shukla 15, 22nd April, 2016 (Friday)
Vaishakh Shukla 11, 17th May, 2016 (Tuesday)
Vaishakh Shukla 13, 19th May, 2016 (Thursday)
Vaishakh Shukla 14, 20th May, 2016 (Friday)
Vaishakh Shukla 15, 21st May, 2016 (Saturday)
Holy dip in Kshipra can be taken at other places too, but during Simhasth Kumbh Mahaparv taking it in Ujjain has a special meaning.
Legend has it that churning of ocean by the Devas (Gods) and the Danavas (Demons) yielded 14 gems :
Shri, Rambha, Vish, Varuni, Amiya, Shankh, Gajraj
Dhanwantari, Dhanu, Dhenu, Taru, Chandramaru, Mani, Baji.
The churning also yielded other things as a jar (Kumbh) full of Amrit (nectar).
Gods did not wish to share it with demons. At the instance of Lord Indra, the King of Gods, his son Jayanta tried to run away with the jar and was followed by some of the demons.
During the struggle for its possession, lasting for twelve days in the heaven, a few drops of the nectar dropped at four places corresponding with Haridwar, Prayag, Ujjain and Nasik on the earth. The drops of nectar were well received by the holy rivers at these places.
It is to commemorate the drop of ambrosia into the sacred waters of Kshipra that the Simhasth Kumbh Mahaparv festival is celebrated in Ujjain. Festival at the other three places is known by the more popular name Kumbh.
As the struggle for the possession of the nectar jar (Amrit Kumbh) lasted for twelve days in the heaven, the corresponding period turned out to be twelve years on the earth for the human beings.
Apart from the religious importance, the festival also has social significance. The festival could be described as huge public assemblage in 12 years. Sadhus, Saints and religious heads come here to attend Simhasth Kumbh Mahaparva. The common people find solace in their company.
Of the four Kumbhs, the Kumbh of Ujjain is called as Simhasth Kumbh Mahaparv. The Simhasth Kumbh Mahaparv is also famous for its unique features. According to Puranas, Kurukshetra has been described as 10 times more sacred than Prayag, Kashi is 10 times holier than Prayag, Gaya is 10 times holier than Kashi and Kushasthali or Ujjain is 10 times holier than Gaya. The presence of Kshipra river has doubled the importance of Ujjain.