Magh Mela 2027 at the Sangam in Prayagraj runs from Paush Purnima on Friday, 22 January to Mahashivratri on Saturday, 6 March, with Makar Sankranti on Friday, 15 January as the opening snan and Mauni Amavasya on Saturday, 6 February as the largest bathing day. It is an annual mela, not a Kumbh year. Fly into Prayagraj Airport (IXD), or use Varanasi or Lucknow as backups when seats run out.
Updated October 2026 · HappyFares
Every winter, lakhs of pilgrims gather where the Ganga and Yamuna meet in Prayagraj for the Magh Mela, a month-long riverside festival of ritual bathing and simple living. Here is what the 2027 dates look like and how to get there by air.
When is Magh Mela 2027 and what are the main snan dates?
The Magh Mela is timed to the Hindu lunar calendar, so its dates shift every year. In 2027, the principal bathing days at the Sangam are:
- Makar Sankranti: Friday, 15 January (the mela’s opening snan)
- Paush Purnima: Friday, 22 January (Kalpvas begins)
- Mauni Amavasya: Saturday, 6 February (the largest and most crowded bathing day)
- Basant Panchami: Thursday, 11 February
- Maghi Purnima: Saturday, 20 February (Kalpvas ends)
- Mahashivratri: Saturday, 6 March (the closing snan)
These dates come from the Hindu panchang and line up across major calendar sources. If you are planning travel around a specific tithi, cross-check the exact bathing window closer to the date, since punya kaal timings can run late into the night or spill into the following morning.
Is 2027 a Kumbh year in Prayagraj?
No. The Maha Kumbh Mela was held in Prayagraj in early 2025, and a full Kumbh returns to any one site only once every twelve years. The next major Kumbh gathering on the national calendar is the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha in 2027, held on the Godavari river in Maharashtra, not in Prayagraj. So the 2027 Magh Mela is the regular annual event, often called the “Chhota Kumbh.” It is smaller than a Kumbh year but still draws huge crowds on the big snan dates, especially Mauni Amavasya.
How do you fly into Prayagraj for Magh Mela?
Prayagraj Airport (IXD), also known as Bamrauli Airport, operates as a civil enclave inside an Indian Air Force station, so civil flights work within slot windows shared with the air force. It has direct domestic connections to cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, and flights tend to cluster in morning and late-afternoon bands rather than running through the night.
Fares and seat availability into Prayagraj tighten sharply around the big snan dates, especially the days before Mauni Amavasya, so booking well ahead and staying flexible on dates helps. A price alert on your route is a simple way to catch a fare before the Mauni Amavasya rush pushes prices up.
What if Prayagraj flights are full or too expensive?
Two nearby airports work well as backups. Varanasi Airport (VNS) is roughly 120 to 135 kilometres from Prayagraj by road and also has a direct rail link, while Lucknow Airport (LKO) is about 195 to 205 kilometres away, connected by trains such as the Prayagraj-Lucknow Intercity service, which takes a little over four hours. Both cities carry far more flight frequencies than Prayagraj itself, so on a peak snan date it is worth comparing fares into Varanasi or Lucknow against a direct Prayagraj booking before you lock in a date.
What is Kalpvas, and what should you expect at the mela grounds?
Kalpvas is the month-long spiritual stay many pilgrims take on, usually from Paush Purnima to Maghi Purnima, living simply in tents by the river, bathing three times a day and eating one sattvic meal. For a day visit, expect a temporary tent city spread across several kilometres of the riverbed, with pontoon bridges, shelters, water points, and basic medical and police posts set up for the duration of the mela. Days around Mauni Amavasya see the heaviest crowds and the tightest security, so an early start and comfortable walking shoes matter more than anything else you pack.
Common Questions
What makes Mauni Amavasya the biggest bathing day?
Mauni Amavasya, the new moon of the Magh month, is considered the most auspicious bathing date of the mela and consistently draws the single largest crowd to the Sangam. Expect the heaviest road and rail traffic into Prayagraj in the days just before and after 6 February 2027.
Is the Magh Mela free to attend?
Yes. Entry to the mela grounds and the Sangam ghats is free. Any cost comes from your own travel, stay and food, not from an admission fee.
How cold does Prayagraj get in January and February?
North Indian winters typically bring chilly, foggy mornings through January, easing into milder days by late February. Layered, warm clothing for early morning bathing is worth packing regardless of which snan date you plan around.
Can I fly direct to Prayagraj from Mumbai or Bengaluru?
Yes, Prayagraj Airport has direct domestic flights from both cities, alongside Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, though frequencies are modest compared with major metro airports, so seats on peak snan dates sell out early.
Should I fly out on the same day as a major snan?
It is safer not to. Roads around the mela grounds get heavily congested on big bathing days, and airport transfer times can run much longer than usual, so building in a buffer day, or flying out the day after your planned snan, reduces the risk of missing a flight.
Do I need to register in advance to bathe at the Sangam?
No registration is needed for a day visit to the ghats. Pilgrims who want to stay for the full month of Kalpvas typically arrange a tent through the mela administration or a private camp well ahead of the season.
Planning a trip to the Magh Mela? Search flights to Prayagraj, Varanasi or Lucknow on HappyFares, set a price alert for your route, and ask Meera, our AI assistant, if you need a hand comparing dates.
Mela dates, crowd rules and transport arrangements can change closer to the event. Verify current details with the Prayagraj Mela administration or Uttar Pradesh Tourism before you travel.
