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Astronomically, maham or magha is a constellation (nakshatra) in Leo sign (Simha Rasi). Since Sun takes a year to go round (as viewed from earth, as if earth is at a standstill), this festival is celebrated in the month when full moon occurs as moon is transient Magha nakshatra (Leo sign) and Sun is on the other end in the opposite Kumnha Rasi (Acquarius sign).


Guru (Jupiter) takes twelve years to go around to complete one full revolution and during this visit, it spends one year in Leo once every twelve years. Mahamagham occurs once in twelve years when the planet Guru?s (Jupiter's) residence in Leo co-incides with full-moon in Leo. This is also considered a powerful astrological combination since Guru (Jupiter) and Moon will be on the same constellation with Sun on the other side, which is considered very prosperous and highly advantageous. On the day of the festival, it is believed to bring all water bodies together and enrich the tank with minerals.

During the time of Mahamaham festival, it is also believed that taking bath in the holy stream of water from the famous rivers like Ganges, Yamuna, Sarasvati River, Sarayu, Godavari River, Mahanadi River, Narmada River, Pavoshnl and Kaveri River, which are mixed together in Mahamaham tank, would get rid of sins according to Hindu religion.

As per myth, on this special day the people who are taking a bath in Mahamaham tank at Kumbakonam, their sins are removed.