‘Simhastha Mahakumbh Bhakti Sangam’ marks beginning of cultural preparations for Simhastha Maha Kumbh Mela
Nashik, 31st August 2026: The cultural preparations for the Simhastha Maha Kumbh Mela 2027 have received an early impetus with the successful completion of ‘Simhastha Mahakumbh Bhakti Sangam’, a three-day festival that brought devotional traditions, artists and audiences together at Thakkar Dome in Nashik.
Organised by the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority (NTKMA), the festival was planned as an early cultural initiative ahead of the Simhastha Maha Kumbh Mela. It provided a platform to present devotional traditions from different parts of India and created an opportunity for the Authority to gain experience in planning and coordinating large public cultural programmes.
The festival brought together Maharashtra’s established kirtan tradition through Amritashram Swami Maharaj, Dr Charudatta Govindswami Aphale and Nivrutti Maharaj Indurikar. Rahul Deshpande’s Abhangwari and Maithili Thakur’s bhajans added musical formats that connected with audiences across generations. The participation of Bhai Maninder Singh Ji Hazuri Ragi from Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, through Gurbani Shabad Kirtan, and Nata Sankirtana Mahajegya from Manipur further expanded the cultural representation at the festival.
The programme also included a Bhakti Sammelan, providing a platform for discussions on Indian saint traditions, social harmony and the participation and coordination of saint traditions at the national level.
Citizen participation provides inputs for future programmes
A key objective of the initiative was to bring citizens into the cultural preparations for the Simhastha at an early stage. With free entry, the festival was opened to the public and received participation from different sections of Nashik.
The response to the performances provided NTKMA with useful inputs for planning future programmes. The audience response to Rahul Deshpande’s Abhangwari and Maithili Thakur’s bhajans, along with the participation in kirtan, Gurbani and Nata Sankirtana, offered insights into the range of cultural formats that can be taken up during the preparation period.
The three-day programme also provided practical experience in venue management, audience movement, traffic and parking arrangements, security, sound management and coordination between different agencies. These learnings will support the planning of larger cultural programmes as the Simhastha Maha Kumbh Mela approaches.
Cultural planning to continue ahead of 2027
NTKMA Commissioner Shekhar Singh said, “Simhastha Mahakumbh Bhakti Sangam was planned as an early step in our cultural preparations for the Simhastha Maha Kumbh Mela. The response from citizens and the experience of working with artists, saint traditions and participating organisations have given us valuable inputs for the programmes we will take up in the coming months.”
“The participation of artists and traditions from different parts of India also reflects the cultural scale that we want to build towards. Along with our own rich traditions in Maharashtra, there is an opportunity to introduce the people of Nashik and visitors to devotional and cultural traditions from across the country. The experience gained through this programme will help us plan that engagement more effectively,” Singh said.
He added, “Our cultural preparations will continue in the coming period. We intend to create more opportunities for local artists, cultural organisations, saint traditions, young people and groups from different parts of India to participate in the larger Simhastha preparations.”
