Hyderabad, Oct. 29 -- At two minutes past noon on Saturday, October 31, President Draupadi Murmu will hoist the laced saffron Dharmadwaj - a huge saffron flag - on a 51-foot flagpole near Ramkund on the Godavari River in Nashik, signifying the official commencement of the Kumbh.

This one-in-12-years Kumbh will, however, see the ritual bathing perhaps from a month before the first shahisnan, which has been renamed to 'amritsnan'. 'Shahi' is not a Sanskrit word. The first such best bathing day is on August 2, 2027.

An estimated 12 crore people will visit the mela scheduled to run over 21 months from 2026 to 2028. It will end on July 24, 2028. Officially, no explanation has come forth as to how this number was arrived at.

The Prayagraj Ku...