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According to the churning of the ocean described in the Mahāśivapurāṇa, nectar emerged. This nectar fell upon several places, one of which is known today as Ilāhābād, though its traditional name is Prayāgarāj. 'Priyāg' signifies the confluence of rivers. It is believed that the Sarasvatī River, which flows underground, meets the Yamunā and Gaṅgā there. On this sacred constellation, the Kumbh Melā is held every year at Prayāgarāj. The name Allahabad was given by the Mughals upon their arrival in India. Prayāgarāj is considered the king of all holy places, where many ṛṣis reside and numerous yajñas have been performed. It is a profoundly holy and divine location. Every year, during the months of January and February, a Kumbh Melā takes place, attracting millions of people. However, according to the sādhus and akhāṛās, there is another major constellation that occurs every four years. One is called the Pūrṇa Kumbha and the other the Artha Kumbha. These events hold great significance. It is said and believed that many of our sins can be washed away in that constellation, in those rivers. Likewise, there are four different Kumbh Melās. All spiritual seekers who have faith and confidence attend. It is such a large gathering, yet no one receives an invitation because everyone knows of it. Everyone knows the precise day, which we call Makar Saṅkrānti, when the sun begins moving north. According to both the Western and Jyotiṣa calendars, Makar Saṅkrānti falls on the 14th of January each year, though very rarely, perhaps once in a century, the date may shift by a day. Primarily, people come to the Kumbh Melā to bathe in the holy waters. This tradition of holy water exists everywhere. In Christianity too, initiation is given in the river, in water. Jesus himself was initiated in a river. Thus, it is a very holy and traditional place. The gathering is also for discussions on spirituality, the protection of religions, and social matters. The protection of societies is what we call governance. Problems faced by societies and the country were brought to the Kumbh Melā for clarification, which is very significant, including matters of karma. After a long time, in the last century, it was decided by the akhāṛās—meaning the different monastic orders from various parts of the country that take care of spiritual affairs; you could call them monasteries—to establish a system. This is because there are many sādhus and saints. The life of a sādhu is different from that of a priest; a priest is not free, whereas a sādhu is free. They are not bound by worldly life, but they should be, and they are, present to give spiritual blessings and teachings. Thus, they created a system called the Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara. Following the tradition of the four Śaṅkarācāryas, who also took care of all sādhus without imposing any dictatorship—they were there to solve problems if any arose—the population grew rapidly. In Prayāgarāj and Varanasi, it was decided to have Akhāṛās. The Mahāmaṇḍaleśvaras are designated solely to look after all sannyāsīs and ashrams. 'Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara' means they must take care of other sannyāsīs and ashrams: to solve their problems, protect them, look after them, and provide for their needs such as clothing. Therefore, a Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara is not a dominator but a caretaker who solves problems and provides assistance. The governance is handled by a committee with a president and secretaries. There is a complete constitution, and the committee makes decisions. The committee selects one from among the Mahāmaṇḍaleśvaras to serve as the head, called the Ācārya. So, among all the Mahāmaṇḍaleśvaras, one acts like a president. The title of Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara is an honour within the Akhāṛā, and they are highly respected by the committees. However, all decisions are made by the committee. The committee has the authority to choose or change the Ācārya.