Haridwar’s Ardh Kumbh — the six-year “half” Kumbh — is reported for 14 January to 20 April 2027, landing exactly between the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh of 2025 and the Ujjain Sinhastha of 2028. Every date here is preparation-stage reporting; the Uttarakhand government’s notification is awaited and this page tracks it. Checked 02 October 2026.
The calendar (reported)
| Window | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan 2027 | Ardh Kumbh opens (Makar Sankranti class) | Reported |
| Jan–Apr 2027 | Royal-bath (shahi snan) dates on the akhara calendar | Awaited |
| 20 Apr 2027 | Ardh Kumbh closes | Reported |
What it means for planning
- The scale preview exists: the 2026 Kanwar movement ran ~4.8–5 crore pilgrims through Haridwar’s corridor (reported) — the mela runs on that machinery with global attention.
- Stays: book at notification, not at season — Har Ki Pauri-side rooms and ashram halls will price out early.
- Rishikesh is the overflow city — 25 km upriver, calmer, connected (our Rishikesh set covers it).
- Elders: the mela is walkable-if-planned but brutal unplanned — fixed ghats, fixed times, the senior framework.
- Yatra Alerts carries the notification, sector plans and bath dates the day they land.
Frequently asked questions
When is Haridwar’s next Kumbh?
Ardh Kumbh reported 14 Jan–20 Apr 2027; the next Purna Kumbh follows the twelve-year cycle (Ujjain holds 2028).
Is Ardh Kumbh worth it?
Yes — the akhara processions and the snan calendar at a scale that planning can still absorb (unlike a Purna Kumbh).