Book an ashram stay with the ashram’s own office, reached through the ashram itself or an official list, not through an advert or a forwarded number. Agree the dates, the room and the payment in writing, pay only an account in the ashram’s or trust’s name, and walk away from anyone selling an “official Kumbh ashram” room.
Step 1: find the real office
- Haridwar 2027. The official Kumbh website’s directory lists 115 ashrams and 51 registered dharamshalas. Most ashram entries give only a name and an address, so use them to identify the place, then contact its office yourself. The site also links to the GMVN and KMVN government rest houses.
- Ujjain. The Mahakaleshwar temple committee’s two guest houses are booked online on the temple’s own website, with a helpdesk on 18002331008.
- Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. The district notes temple-trust accommodation at Trimbakeshwar, and says availability must be checked directly with the trust.
- Anywhere. The Home Ministry’s cybercrime centre (I4C) advises cross-checking a booking through official government portals and not clicking sponsored or unknown links.
Step 2: ask before you agree
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who may stay: families, single travellers, groups, foreign visitors? | Rules on who may stay differ from one institution to the next. |
| Is it a fixed charge or a donation, and what receipt will I get? | A receipt in the institution’s name is your proof if anything goes wrong. |
| What room, bed and bathroom will we get, and for how many people? | Ask for a photo of the actual room, not a brochure picture. |
| When does the gate open and close? | Haridwar’s official snan list shows a 4:00 am to 12:00 noon window on bathing days. |
| Are meals included, and when? | Fixed meal times can clash with a day at the ghats. |
| What if the dates change? | Haridwar’s bathing days are provisional, and Ujjain’s are not announced. |
| Will you confirm all this in writing? | A letter, email or receipt with your name, dates and room protects both sides. |
Foreign visitors should say so when they ask. The Bureau of Immigration requires every place that hosts a foreigner, OCI cardholders included, to report the stay on Form III (Form C), so the office will need your passport and visa details.
Step 3: pay the institution, not a person
- Pay only to an account or QR code in the name of the ashram, trust or temple body. Check the name your UPI app shows before you confirm.
- Keep the receipt, the confirmation and screenshots of every message.
- Never share a one-time password (OTP), card PIN or bank password with anyone taking a booking.
- If the dates are not final, pay as little as the institution will accept until they are.
Warning signs of a fake ashram booking
I4C’s April 2025 alert described fake websites, social media pages, WhatsApp accounts and paid search adverts offering guest house bookings for pilgrims; people who paid often got no confirmation, and the numbers stopped working. Watch for these signs:
- You found the offer through an advert or a forward, not through the ashram or an official list.
- It says “official”, “government approved” or “Kumbh ashram”, but the authority’s site does not list it.
- It asks you to pay a personal UPI ID or wallet, or to pay the full amount at once to “hold” the room.
- It sells rooms for a bathing day the authority has not announced.
- It will not give a postal address, an office landline or a written confirmation.
- It asks for photos of your ID, your OTP or your card details before anything is agreed.
Haridwar’s official dos and don’ts also ask pilgrims not to accept services or help from unauthorised vendors or unfamiliar people.
If something goes wrong
Before you pay for any stay, run it through Is this Kumbh booking real?. For the wider choice of stays, see Where to stay for Haridwar Kumbh 2027 and Where to stay during Nashik Kumbh.
Sources
11 sources · checked 16 Oct 2026
- Directory: Ashrams (Haridwar Kumbh 2027 official website) · Kumbh Mela Haridwar 2027, Government of Uttarakhand ·
- Directory: Registered Dharamshalas (Haridwar Kumbh 2027 official website) · Kumbh Mela Haridwar 2027, Government of Uttarakhand ·
- Stay and Accommodation (Haridwar Kumbh 2027 official website) · Haridwar Kumbh Mela administration, Government of Uttarakhand ·
- Pilgrim Dos & Don'ts: Haridwar Kumbh 2027 (official website) · Haridwar Kumbh Mela administration, Government of Uttarakhand ·
- Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Ujjain: home page and Important Notice on bookings · Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee, Ujjain ·
- Trimbakeshwar Temple: Visitor Orientation · Nashik District, Government of Maharashtra ·
- I4C alerts public about online booking scams impersonating religious institutions and tourist services · Press Information Bureau, Government of India (Ministry of Home Affairs) ·
- Cyber Crimes Through Fake Sites · Press Information Bureau, Government of India (Ministry of Home Affairs) ·
- Online Form III (Form C): notice on reporting foreign guests · Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs ·
- Snan and Events: Haridwar Kumbh 2027 (official website) · Haridwar Kumbh Mela administration, Government of Uttarakhand ·
- MP Simhastha Kumbh 2028: ₹25k Cr Infrastructure Push For 40Cr Devotees, Says CM Yadav · Deccan Chronicle ·
Photo: Shruti Lata, CC BY-SA 4.0
