Dhwajarohan is the ceremonial flag hoisting that formally opens a Simhastha Kumbh. For the Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Simhastha it is on Saturday 31 October 2026, reported for 12:02 PM at Ramkund in Nashik and Kushavarta in Trimbakeshwar at the same time.
It is an opening ceremony, not a bathing day. Below we explain the word, what happened at the last opening in 2015 and what has been reported for this one.
What the word means
Dhwaja means flag and arohan means raising, so dhwajarohan simply means raising the flag. News reports of the 2025 announcement used the word for the start of the Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Simhastha.
The Kumbh Mela Authority’s plan says the Kumbh period commences on 31 October 2026 with the ceremonial flag hoisting, marking the beginning of the event. It ends with a closing ceremony, Simhastha Samapti, in July 2028. A PTI report of the 2025 announcement said the flag is taken down at that closing.
So the flag does not mark a single festival day. It opens a long Simhastha period of about 20 months, with the main bathing days in August and September 2027.
What happened at the last opening, in 2015
The last Simhastha at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar opened in 2015. According to a Deccan Herald report from that day, the traditional flags were hoisted at 6:16 AM at Ramkund and at Kushavarta, marking the beginning of the Kumbh Mela. An IANS report said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis raised the flag at Ramkund and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at Kushavarta.
The same IANS report described prayers, the blowing of conch shells and showers of flower petals at both places, with tight security. It said a saffron flag with a gold-painted lion, about 15 by 4 feet, was mounted on a 40-foot brass pole near Ramkund, where it could be seen from the bathing ghats.
In 2015 the flags went up early in the morning. The time reported for 2026 is midday.
What is reported for 31 October 2026
- Date and time: Saturday 31 October 2026, Ashwin Krishna Shashthi in the Tirth panchang. The flags are reported for 12:02 PM.
- Places: Ramkund in Nashik and Kushavarta Tirtha in Trimbakeshwar, at the same time. One report describes Ramkund as the main ceremony, with religious ceremonies at Kushavarta.
- Who is expected: sadhus and mahants from the akharas, religious leaders, elected representatives and senior officials. Reports in September said the President of India may attend; we have not found an official confirmation.
- In the evening: a Maha Aarti with room for about 5,000 devotees and large screens for others. An earlier report described a Godavari Aarti on the Ramkund riverfront as part of the programme.
- New flag pillars: the authority’s plan provides for new dhwaja stambhas at Ramkund in Nashik and at Trimbakeshwar.
The authority has not published the order of rituals, who will raise each flag, or any public viewing areas. We do not guess at these, and will add them here with their source when they are published.
What it means for pilgrims
For most pilgrims, 31 October is a date to note, not a date to travel for. The ghats are narrow, as the authority’s own plan says, and reports say parking, walking routes and traffic controls are being planned for the day. If you live nearby and want to attend, go early, carry photo ID and follow police directions.
The bathing days that matter come later: the Amrit Snans on 2 August and 31 August 2027 at both centres, then 11 September at Nashik and 12 September 2027 at Trimbakeshwar. See our flag hoisting brief and the Nashik Kumbh dates, or start from the Nashik Kumbh guide.
Information status: Provisional. The date is in the Kumbh Mela Authority’s plan of June 2026. The 12:02 PM time comes from news reports and was not yet in an official notice we could find on 16 October 2026.
Sources
- Kumbh Mela Plan (First Edition): Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027 · Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority, Office of the Divisional Commissioner, Nashik, Government of Maharashtra ·
- Simhastha Kumbh Mela to begin in Nashik-Trimbakeshwar on Oct 31 next year · Press Trust of India (via The Week) ·
- Nashik: 6000 tribal people to perform Godavari aarti alongside President Murmu · Free Press Journal ·
- Nashik: Maha Aarti, Traffic, Parking And Security Arrangements Prioritised For Simhastha Flag-Hoisting · Free Press Journal (Milind Sajgure) ·
- Nashik: President Likely To Attend Simhastha Kumbh Flag-Hoisting Ceremony On October 31 · Free Press Journal (Milind Sajgure) ·
- Thousands throng Kumbh Mela at Nashik · Deccan Herald (Mrityunjay Bose) ·
- Simhastha Kumbh Mela starts in Nashik, Trimbakeshwar (Roundup) · IANS (via Business Standard) ·
- Panchang: tithi, sunrise and lunar month · TravNext Tech Private Limited (Tirth.com) ·
Photo: Shak.On, CC BY-SA 4.0
