Places of Kumbha Mela

► Prayagraj (Place of Kumbha Mela) (Shakti Peetha)
(Prayagraj district, Uttar Pradesh)

◉ Ganga - Yamuna - hidden Saraswati Triveni Sangam (Confluence) → Ram Ghat (Ganga Aarti) -- Balua Ghat (Yamuna Aarti)
☘ Akshay Vat
(Middle Ganga Plain)
(Matsya Purana)
(Valmiki Ramayana)
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)

- Devi abides in Prayaga as Prayaga Shakti Peetha.
- Sri Rama visited Prayaga during forest exile and met sage Bharadwaja in his hermitage.

► Haridwar (Maya Kshetra) (314 m) (Moksha Puri) (Place of Kumbha Mela) (Uttarakhand Char Dham)
(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand)

☗ Bilva Parvat
☗ Nila Parvat
▬ River Ganga flows → Har ki Pauri (Aarti)
(Uttarakhand Shivalik Hills (Garhwal))
(Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda)
(Shiva Purana)

- Devi Sati gave up her body during the Daksha Yagna at Kankhal and hence the place came to be known as Maya Kshetra (Haridwar).
- Haridwar also has the famous Hill temples of Devi Chandi and Devi Manasa. There are also famous temples of Maya Devi and Sureshwari Devi.
- Lord Shiva destroyed the Daksha Yagna at Kankhal of Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) and abides there as Daksheshwar Mahadev.
- Lord Shiva also abides there as the famous Bilvakeshwar Mahadev.

► Ujjain (Avanti) (Moksha Puri) (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Place of Kumbha Mela)
(Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh)

▬ River Kshipra (Shipra) flows → Ram Ghat (Aarti)
(Malwa Plateau)
(Shiva Purana)
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)
(Srimad Bhagavatam)
(Skanda Purana - Avanti Kshetra Mahatmya)

- Lord Shiva protected devotee brahmin Veda Priya and brahmanas from the atrocities of demon Dushana at Avanti and abides as Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga.
- Devi abides in Ujjain (Avanti) as Ujjayini Shakti Peetha and Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha.
- Sri Krishna and Sri Balarama studied in the gurukula of sage Sandipani in Avanti and mastered 64 arts in 64 days.
- Sri Krishna returned the dead son of sage Sandipani in Avanti.

► Nashik (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Place of Kumbha Mela)
(Nashik district, Maharashtra)

☗ Brahmagiri Hills (Tryambakeshwar)
☗ Saptashrungi Hills (Saptashrungi Gadh)
☗ Anjana Hills (Anjaneri)
► River Godavari Udgam (Tryambakeshwar)
▬ River Godavari flows → Ram Kund (Aarti)
◉ Aruna - Varuna - Godavari Triveni Sangam (near Panchavati)
◉ Godavari - Kapila Sangam (near Panchavati)
• River Godavari Ghats: Ram Kund - Lakshman Kund - Sita Kund - Ashti Vilay Kund - Dhanushya Kund - Khandova Kund - Indra Kund
☸ Panchavati Forest (Puranic)
☘ Five Banyan Trees (Panchavati)
(Maharashtra Ghats)
(Maharashtra Plateau)
(Shiva Purana)
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)
(Devi Bhagavatam)
(Valmiki Ramayana)
(Brahma Purana)

- Lord Shiva relieved sage Gautama from the false accusation of brahmanas, released river (Gautami) Ganga and abides as Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga.
- Devi abides in Nashik Janasthana as Janasthana Shakti Peetha (identified with Devi Saptashrungi).
- Bhakta Hanuman is said to have taken birth in the Nashik Anjana Hills (which is identified as one of his birthplaces). This is as per Brahma Purana - Gautami Mahatmya.
- Sri Rama stayed in the Panchavati forest during the forest exile (identified with Nashik).
- Sri Rama slayed demons Khara and Dushana while staying in the Panchavati forest.
- Sri Rama went after the golden deer in the Panchavati forest.
- Devi Sita was abducted by Ravana from the Panchavati forest.