Simhastha 2028 - Spiritual Events and Programs
Beyond the bath and the temples, 62 days of continuous spiritual programming fills Ujjain with sound, fire, and the teachings of saints.
Simhastha Is Not One Event - It Is Sixty-Two
The popular image of Simhastha focuses on the Shahi Snan - millions bathing in the river on three key dates. But for pilgrims who stay beyond a single day, or who attend during the quieter Parva Snan dates, a completely different dimension of Simhastha becomes visible: an unbroken, 62-day festival of spiritual programming that makes Ujjain one of the world's great temporary centers of religious culture.
Throughout the event, hundreds of venues across the city - Akhada camps, dedicated program stages, temple premises, and purpose-built pandals (tented halls) - host continuous streams of pravachans (spiritual discourses), yagyas (fire rituals), kathas (scriptural recitations), bhajan-kirtan (devotional music), and cultural performances. Most of these are open to all visitors, free of charge. Together they constitute a living university of Hindu spiritual culture, operating for two months in the middle of India.
Pravachan - Discourses
Some of India's most respected spiritual teachers, scripturally learned pandits, and revered saints gather at Simhastha. Pravachan sessions - discourses on Vedanta, the Bhagavata Purana, the Ramayana, the Upanishads, and various spiritual topics - run in multiple venues simultaneously throughout the day.
The Akhada camps are the primary venue for discourses by the most senior saints. The Juna Akhada camp typically draws the largest audiences. Significant Vaishnava teachers hold discourses in the camps of the Nirmohi and Niranjani Akhadas.
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Typical Timings:
- Morning: 6:00-8:00 AM
- Late Morning: 10:00-12:00 PM
- Evening: 6:00-9:00 PM
Havana and Yagya
Fire ritual (Yagya or Havan) is one of Hinduism's most ancient practices. At Simhastha, fire rituals happen continuously throughout the 62 days, ranging from intimate private rituals to massive public ceremonies involving hundreds of priests.
- Rudra Maha Yagya: The great Shiva fire ritual, performed over several days with 108 or 1,008 priests chanting the 11-chapter Rudram simultaneously.
- Vishnu Sahasranama Yagya: The recitation of Vishnu's thousand names with corresponding fire offerings.
- Sudarshana Homa: Fire ritual invoking Vishnu's divine weapon for protection and the removal of negative energies.
Bhagavata Saptah
The Bhagavata Saptah - a seven-day continuous recitation of the Bhagavata Purana, the 18,000-verse text describing the divine play of Vishnu and his avatars - is one of the most important and beloved forms of public spiritual programming in India.
A Bhagavata Saptah proceeds from dawn to late evening, with the speaker covering designated sections of the text each day while elaborating the stories, their philosophical meaning, and their relevance for the listener's spiritual life. Many attendees stay for all seven days to hear the complete narration.
Bhajan-Kirtan
Every evening, as temperatures drop after sunset, Ujjain fills with music. The convergence of religious traditions at Simhastha means an extraordinary variety of devotional music styles are present simultaneously.
Ram Ghat at night during Simhastha - with the river lit by floating oil lamps, kirtan rising from multiple directions, and the Aarti fire reflected in the water - is one of those experiences that cannot be adequately described and must be attended. Make time for at least one evening at the ghat during your Simhastha visit.
Finding Event Schedules
Specific event schedules for Simhastha 2028 will be released progressively through the official Simhastha website and MP Tourism channels from approximately January 2028 onward. For live event information during Simhastha, daily printed program guides are typically distributed at the Mela Authority information kiosks throughout the ghat area.