Dhwajarohan on 31 October 2026 at 12:02 PM: The Kumbh Opening Programme So Far

The Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh formally begins later this month. Dhwajarohan, the flag hoisting that marks the start of the Simhastha, is on Saturday 31 October 2026.

The date and the two venues are in the official NTKMA Kumbh Mela Plan published in June 2026. Flags will go up at the same moment at Ramkund (Ramtirth) in Panchavati, Nashik, and at Kushavarta in Trimbakeshwar.

The muhurat is 12:02 PM. Kumbh Mela Minister Girish Mahajan confirmed this time on record at a review meeting on 19 September, eSakal reported. The same time was already part of the first schedule announced on 1 June 2025.

Who is expected

Mahajan announced on record that President Droupadi Murmu, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar are expected to attend. It is not yet clear which of the two venues the President will go to. Navarashtra has noted that the programme may still change, so treat the guest list as expected, not final.

The programme, day by day

Only the date, time and venues of the flag hoisting are officially confirmed. The other events below were reported by Lokmat Times on 27 September and are not yet in an official order.

• Friday 30 October: a Gram Pradakshina, a procession around the town, before the flag hoisting. Around one lakh devotees are expected, according to the report. The route is still being finalised.
• 30 October to 1 November: religious programmes such as puja and havan at Ramkund, according to the same report.
• Saturday 31 October, 12:02 PM: Dhwajarohan at Ramkund and Kushavarta (confirmed).
• Saturday 31 October, 7 PM: Godavari Maha Aarti and a "Divya Sandhya" cultural programme at Ramkund. Lokmat Times reported that the President is planned to perform the aarti. Navbharat Live reported about 5,000 seats for the Maha Aarti.

Limited space at Ramkund

Ramkund can hold only about 15,000 people at a time, so invitations to the programme will be limited, Lokmat Times reported. If you plan to be in Nashik that day, expect limited access to Ramkund itself around the ceremony.

NTKMA Commissioner Shekhar Singh has asked the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) for separate entry and exit routes for VIPs and for the public at Ramkund, according to his letter reported by the Times of India on 5 October. Detailed crowd and traffic orders for the day have not been published yet.

New flag poles, and works still running

The NTKMA plan (section 10.3) says new Dhwaja Stambhas, or flag poles, will be put up before 31 October at Ramkund, and in Trimbak at the Sadhugram/Ghat area and at Kushavarta.

At the 19 September review, Mahajan asked all agencies to speed up preparations. He admitted on record that rain had delayed works, but said everything would be finished before the Amrit Snans.

Work at Ramkund is not complete yet. After an inspection, Singh wrote to NMC Commissioner Manisha Khatri that sewerage and storm-water works, stone steps, cabling and debris were still unfinished. He asked for unfinished works to be "suitably screened" before the event.

In Trimbakeshwar, the Kushavarta Tirth is closed to pilgrims for renovation, and the renovated kund is to be inaugurated on 31 October. Read our Kushavarta closure update and the Trimbakeshwar Kumbh 2027 guide.

What this means for pilgrims

• 31 October is the formal start of the mela. The big bathing days, the Amrit Snans, come next year. See all Kumbh dates.
• For background on the ceremony, see our Dhwajarohan 2026 page.
• For Ramkund and the other ghats, see the ghats guide.
• Road closures, parking and traffic plans for 30 and 31 October have not been published yet. Check again closer to the date.

We will update this page when the official programme is released.