Newsinc24 Team
President Droupadi Murmu performed the 'dhwajarohan' (flag hoisting) ceremony to mark the commencement of the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela on Saturday, October 31,2026. She hoisted the religious flag after performing rituals at Ramkund on the banks of the Godavari river in the presence of Maharashtra Governor Jishnudev Varma, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar as well as senior officials. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hoisted the traditional flag at a parallel ceremony in Trimbakehswar at 12:02 pm.The Simhastha Kumbh Mela Mahadhwaj Gram Parikrama took place on Friday. The ‘parikrama’ started from Tapovan Maidan, proceeded to Ramtirth Panchavati in the presence of saints-mahants and thousands of devotees, and concluded at Ramkund.
Several prominent religious leaders also attended the event, including Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Shri Mahant Ravindra Puri Maharaj, Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Narendraacharya Maharaj and Shri Mahant Gyan Das Maharaj, along with representatives of various akhadas.
The Shri Ganga-Godavari religious flag features several auspicious symbols, each carrying religious and cultural significance. The Amrit Kalash represents immortality, liberation and divine power, while the Om symbol signifies the universe and its all-pervading nature. The inscription 'Shri' represents victory and auspiciousness. The 12 silk tassels symbolise social unity and collective strength, while a bell and three small bells represent cosmic sound. The reverse side of the flag features a crocodile, traditionally associated with the Godavari, along with the symbols of the Sun and Moon.
