There are several references to river-side festivals in ancient Indian texts, but the exact age of the Kumbh Mela is uncertain. The Chinese traveler Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) mentions that Emperor Shiladitya (identified with Harshvardhan) distributed his wealth among the public once every five years; his treasury was then replenished by his vassals. He describes such a ritual at a site located at the confluence of two rivers, in the kingdom of Po-lo-ye-kia (identified with Prayaga). He also mentions that many hundreds take a bath at the confluence of two rivers, to wash away their sins.[13] According to some scholars, this is earliest surviving historical account of the Kumbh Mela, which took place in present-day Allahabad in 644 CE.[14][15][16]
The Kumbh Mela of Haridwar appears to be the original Kumbh Mela, since it is held according to the astrological sign "Kumbha" (Aquarius), and because there are several references to a 12-year cycle for it. According to researcher Kama Maclean of University of New South Wales, the association of Allahabad's river-side festival with the Kumbh myth and the 12-year old cycle is relatively recent, dating back to the mid-19th century. She argues that no ancient texts or even early British records mention the 12-year cycle for the Allahabad's festival. The Xuanzang reference is about an event that happened every 5 years (and not 12 years), and might have been a Buddhist celebration (since Harsha was a Buddhist emperor). The first British reference to the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad occurs only in an 1868 report, which mentions the need for increased pilgrimage and sanitation controls at the "Coomb fair" to be held in January 1870. According to Maclean, the Prayagwal Brahmin priests of Allahabad adapted their annual Magh Mela to Kumbh legend, in order to increase the importance of their tirtha. Similar melas in Nashik and Ujjain were later adapted to suit the Kumbh myth and the 12-year cycle.[17]
A major innovation effort, Kumbathon by MIT Media Lab in 2013, has created a new initiative called KF27 (Kumbha Foundation 2027) to bring technology and innovation to Kumbha Mela. The multi-year platform Kumbha.Org now spans areas in health, transportation, payments, food, civic issues, housing and so on.