Tradition ascribes the Kumbh Mela’s origin to the 8th-century philosopher Shankara, who instituted regular gatherings of learned ascetics for discussion and debate. The founding myth of the Kumbh Mela—attributed to the Puranas (collections of myth and legend)—recounts how the gods and demons fought over the pot (kumbha) of amrit, the elixir of immortality produced by their joint churning of the milky ocean. This churning of the ocean is widely known as the Samudra Manthana or Sagara Manthana. To prevent the demons from winning the elixir, enchantress Mohini, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, seized the pot and carried it to heaven. As she did so, drops of the elixir fell on the Kumbh Mela’s four earthly sites (Haridwar, Nashik, Prayagraj, and Ujjain). At the climactic moment of each mela, it is believed that the rivers at those holy sites transform into vessels of that primordial nectar of immortality that conveys benefits to pilgrims. Another mention of the Kumbh Mela can be found in the accounts of renowned Chinese traveler Xuanzang, who documented the magnificence of the Kumbh Mela during his visit to India during 629–645 ce. His writings highlight King Harsha’s generous acts at the sacred confluence of rivers, where the king bestowed gifts and donations upon scholars and ascetics. King Harsha was also noted for organizing a grand quinquennial gathering at the holy confluence in Prayag (modern Prayagraj), during which he donated all his possessions. The term kumbh comes from the Sanskrit word kumbha, or “pitcher,” but it is also the Sanskrit name for Aquarius, the sign of the zodiac in which Jupiter resides during the Haridwar mela.