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Rajgir Malmas Mela: a month at the hot springs
Hot springs in a ring of hills, where every god stays for the thirteenth month
The Malmas Mela is a month-long bathing fair at the hot springs of Rajgir, in Bihar’s Nalanda district, held only in years when the Hindu calendar adds an extra month, Malmas or Adhik Maas, roughly every three years. Next: 16 March – 14 April 2029 (expected). The main bath is at Brahma Kund at the foot of Vaibhar hill, and the peaks are the shahi snan days, the royal baths, when sadhus bathe first and the pilgrims follow.
The extra month is known years ahead from the almanac; the Nalanda district administration and the Bihar government announce the mela and its bathing days a few months before.
The legend
About every three years the Hindu calendar adds a month so the lunar year keeps pace with the solar one. It is called Purushottam, Adhik Maas or Malmas.
Rajgir was the first capital of Magadha, Girivraja in the Mahabharata. King Bimbisara lived here, and both the Buddha and Mahavira taught here.
Rajgir's hot springs have been held sacred since ancient times. In Malmas pilgrims from all over India come to bathe in them and in the streams.
Customs
Bathing in the kunds
The main bath is at Brahma Kund and the hot springs at the foot of Vaibhar hill, with the Saraswati stream beside them.
Shahi snan
On the appointed shahi snan days the sadhus go first to Brahma Kund for the royal bath, and everyone else bathes after them.
A month of fair
All month long the kund complex hums with puja, discourses and trade, and the fair runs until Malmas ends.
Where to celebrate
Rajgir
A month of bathing in the hot springs, held only in years when the Hindu calendar adds a month; each shahi snan day in 2026 drew 6–10 lakh people to Brahma Kund.
Why the fair comes only in Malmas
A lunar year is shorter than a solar one, and about every three years the Hindu calendar adds a month to keep the two in step. It is called Purushottam, Adhik Maas or Malmas, and it can fall in different seasons, so the mela has no fixed time of year. The extra month is known years ahead from the almanac; the Nalanda district administration and the Bihar government announce the mela and its bathing days a few months before.
The Nalanda district administration states the beliefs behind it: that 33 koti (crore) gods and goddesses reside in Rajgir during Malmas, and that, according to the Vayu Purana, one day’s bath in the Saraswati stream during the month carries the merit of a whole year of bathing in the Ganga. Pilgrims come from across India to perform puja and bathe in the kunds and streams, and all month the complex is busy with puja, discourses and trade.
The setting is old. Rajgir was the first capital of Magadha, Girivraja in the Mahabharata; King Bimbisara lived here, and both the Buddha and Mahavira taught here.
The shahi snan days
The district fixes several shahi snan days within the month; in the last mela there were three. On those mornings the sadhus go first to Brahma Kund along cordoned routes for the royal bath, and everyone else bathes after them. The procession can be watched from along its route. Bathing, darshan and the fair cost nothing.
These are the days of the largest crowds: press reports put each shahi snan of the last mela at about 6–10 lakh people (600,000 to a million), with the queue for Brahma Kund about 2 km long.
Planning a visit
One night is enough for a shahi snan morning, two if you add Nalanda and the Rajgir hills.
- Watch the district site
The Nalanda district administration publishes the mela dates, the shahi snan days, places of accommodation and the traffic route plan on its website. For the last mela it listed 12 accommodation venues for pilgrims, from 150 to 2,000 people each, and 12 parking grounds, including Kila Maidan and the Vishwa Shanti Stupa car park.
- About six weeks ahead: rooms
Rajgir has few hotels for a crowd this size. Nalanda next door and Patna, about 100 km away, are the fallbacks.
- 60 days ahead: trains
Trains to Rajgir are few; buy tickets when sales open.
- The night before a shahi snan: arrive
Bathing starts at dawn and the sadhus go first, so be in Rajgir the evening before.
Crowds and local rules
- Follow the cordons — On shahi snan mornings keep to the routes the police open and let the sadhus’ procession pass. The FCDO notes that stampedes have occurred at events with large crowds in India, including religious gatherings.
- Valuables — Take care of your possessions in the crowd and keep a copy of your passport separately. Emergency number: 112 (emergency numbers).
- Bihar is a dry state — The FCDO lists Bihar among the states where drinking, making or carrying alcohol is illegal.
- Combine the trip — The mela fits a circuit with Nalanda and Bodh Gaya; Rajgir is also linked to the Buddha’s life, see Buddha Jayanti.
FAQ
When is the next Rajgir Malmas Mela?
Next: 16 March – 14 April 2029 (expected). It is held only during Malmas, the extra lunar month added about every three years, and lasts the whole month.
What is Malmas?
Malmas, also called Adhik Maas or Purushottam month, is the extra month the Hindu calendar adds about every three years so that the lunar year keeps pace with the solar one.
Where do pilgrims bathe in Rajgir?
Mainly at Brahma Kund and the hot springs at the foot of Vaibhar hill, and in the Saraswati stream beside the kunds.
Why is Rajgir famous?
It was the first capital of Magadha, where King Bimbisara lived and the Buddha and Mahavira taught, and its hot springs have long been held sacred.
Is there an entry fee for the Malmas Mela?
No. Bathing, darshan and the fair are free.
Sources (4)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.