Kumbh Mela
kumbh mela kumbha mela major pilgrimage festival hinduism february kumbh mela witnessed largest peaceful public gathering human ever recorded celebrated cycle approximately year celebrate every revolution brihaspati jupiter completes four riverbank pilgrimage site prayagraj gangesyamunasarasvati river confluence haridwar ganges nashik godavari ujjain shipra festival marked ritual dip water also celebration community commerce numerous fair education religious discourse saint mass gathering monk entertainment seeker believe bathing river mean prāyaścitta atonement penance restorative action past mistake cleanses sin festival traditionally credited thcentury hindu philosopher saint adi shankara part effort start major hindu gathering philosophical discussion debate along hindu monastery across indian subcontinent however historical literary evidence mass pilgrimage called kumbha mela prior th century ample evidence historical manuscript inscription annual magha mela hinduism – periodic larger gathering year – pilgrim gathered massive number one ritual included sacred dip river holy tank according kama maclean sociopolitical development colonial era reaction orientalism led rebranding remobilisation ancient magha mela modern era kumbh mela particularly indian rebellion week festival observed cycle site approximately every year based hindu lunisolar calendar relative astrological position jupiter sun moon difference prayag haridwar festival year feature maha major ardha half kumbh melas exact year – particularly kumbh melas ujjain nashik – subject dispute th century nashik ujjain festival celebrated year one year apart typically year allahabad prayagraj kumbh mela elsewhere many part india similar smaller community pilgrimage bathing festival called magha mela makar mela equivalent example tamil nadu magha mela waterdip ritual festival antiquity festival held mahamaham tank near kaveri river every year kumbakonam attracts million south indian hindu described tamil kumbh mela place maghamela makarmela bathing pilgrimage fair called kumbh mela include kurukshetra sonipat panauti nepal kumbh melas three date around significant majority pilgrim participate festival last one three month around date festival attracts million largest gathering prayag kumbh mela second largest haridwar according encyclopædia britannica indian authority million hindu gathered kumbh mela including million festival crowded day festival one largest peaceful gathering world considered world largest congregation religious pilgrim inscribed unesco representative list intangible cultural heritage humanity festival observed many day day amavasya attracting largest number single day kumbh mela authority said largest oneday attendance kumbh mela million february million february kumbha kumbha mela literally mean pitcher jar pot sanskrit found vedic text sense often context holding water mythical legend nectar immortality word kumbha derivative found rigveda – bce example verse verse yajurveda verse samaveda verse atharvaveda vedic postvedic ancient sanskrit literature astrological text term also refers zodiac sign aquarius astrological etymology date late stmillennium ce likely influenced greek zodiac idea word mela mean unite join meet move together assembly junction sanskrit particularly context fair community celebration word found rigveda ancient hindu text thus kumbh mela mean assembly meet union around water nectar immortality many hindu believe kumbh mela originated time immemorial attested hindu mythology samudra manthana lit churning ocean found vedic text historian contrast reject claim none ancient medieval era text mention samudra manthana legend ever link mela festival according giorgio bonazzoli scholar sanskrit purana anachronistic explanation adaptation early legend later practice small circle adherent sought root highly popular pilgrimage festival hindu legend however describes creation pot amrita nectar immortality force good evil churn ocean creation god demon fight pot kumbha nectar order gain immortality later day extension legend pot spilled four place origin four kumbha melas story varies inconsistent stating vishnu mohini avatar others stating dhanavantari garuda indra spilling pot spilling associated kumbh mela story found earliest mention original legend samudra manthana churning ocean vedic era text pre bce story found later era purana rd thcentury ce kumbha mela phrase found ancient medieval era text numerous chapter verse hindu text found bathing festival sacred junction river ganga yamuna mythical saraswati prayag pilgrimage prayag form snana bathe ritual form prayag mahatmya greatness prayag historical tour guide sanskrit earliest mention prayag bathing pilgrimage found rigveda pariśiṣṭa supplement rigveda also mentioned pali canon buddhism section majjhima nikaya wherein buddha state bathing payaga skt prayaga cannot wash away cruel evil deed rather virtuous one pure heart fair action mahabharata mention bathing pilgrimage prayag mean prāyaścitta atonement penance past mistake guilt tirthayatra parva great war epic state one observes firm ethical vow bathed prayaga magha best bharatas becomes spotless reach heaven anushasana parva war epic elaborates bathing pilgrimage geographical tirtha must combined manasatirtha tirtha heart whereby one life value truth charity selfcontrol patience others reference prayaga riverside festival ancient indian text including place presentday kumbh melas held exact age kumbh mela uncertain thcentury buddhist chinese traveller xuanzang hiuen tsang mention king harsha capital prayag state sacred hindu city hundred deva temple two buddhist institution also mention hindu bathing ritual junction river according scholar earliest surviving historical account kumbh mela took place presentday prayag ce kama maclean – indologist published article kumbh mela predominantly based colonial archive englishlanguage medium state based email scholar recent interpretation thcentury xuanzang memoir prayag event happened every year year featured buddha statue involved alms giving might buddhist festival contrast ariel glucklich – scholar hinduism anthropology religion xuanzang memoir includes somewhat derisively reputation prayag place people hindu committed superstitious devotional suicide liberate soul brahmin earlier era successfully put end practice detail name temple bathing pool suggest xuanzang presented hindu practice prayag th century buddhist perspective perhaps amuse audience back china state glucklich early account significance prayag hinduism found various version prayaga mahatmya dated late stmillennium ce puranagenre hindu text describe place bustling pilgrim priest vendor beggar guide local citizen busy along confluence river sangam sanskrit guide book medieval era india updated edition likely priest guide mutual stake economic return visiting pilgrim one longest section prayag river significance hindu pilgrimage found chapter – matsya purana according james lochtefeld – scholar indian religion phrase kumbh mela historical data missing early indian text however state lochtefeld historical text clearly reveal large wellestablished bathing festival either annual based twelveyear cycle planet jupiter manuscript related hindu ascetic warriormonks – akharas fighting islamic sultanate mughal empire era – mention bathing pilgrimage large periodic assembly hindu religious festival associated bathing giftgiving commerce organisation early account haridwar kumbh mela published captain thomas hardwicke ce according james mallinson – scholar hindu yoga manuscript monastic institution bathing festival prayag large gathering pilgrim attested since least middle first millennium ce textual evidence exists similar pilgrimage major sacred river since medieval period four morphed kumbh mela brand east india company rule british colonial era sought control warprone monk lucrative tax trade revenue hindu pilgrimage festival additionally priest sought british administration recognise festival protect religious right thcentury ramcharitmanas tulsidas mention annual mela prayag muslim historian ainiakbari c ce latter akbarera persian text call prayag spell priyag king shrine hindu mention considered particularly holy hindu month magha late thcentury tabaqatiakbari also record annual bathing festival prayag sangam various class hindu came side country bathe number jungle plain around unable hold kumbh mela haridwar appears original kumbh mela since held according astrological sign kumbha aquarius several reference year cycle later mughal empire era text contain term kumbha mela haridwars context include khulasatuttawarikh – ce chahar gulshan ce khulasatuttawarikh also mention annual bathing pilgrimage festival prayag call kumbh mughal era text use term kumbh mela describe haridwars fair mentioning similar fair held prayag nashik khulasatuttawarikh list following melas annual mela kumbh mela every year haridwar mela held trimbak jupiter enters leo year annual mela held prayag modern prayagraj magh like prayag mela bathing pilgrimage mela nasik ujjain considerable antiquity however referred singhasth mela phrase kumbh mela yet found literature prior th century phrase maha kumbh ardh kumbh context ancient religious pilgrimage festival different name prayag nasik ujjain evidently modern era magh mela prayag probably oldest among four modern day kumbh melas date early century ce given mentioned several early purana however name kumbh ancient bathing pilgrimage probably date midth century p dubey state none ancient hindu text call prayag fair kumbh mela kama maclean state early british record mention name kumbh mela year cycle prayag fair first british reference kumbh mela prayag occurs report mention need increased pilgrimage sanitation control coomb fair held january according maclean prayagwal brahmin priest prayag coopted kumbh legend brand annual prayag magh mela given sociopolitical circumstance th century kumbh mela ujjain began th century maratha ruler ranoji shinde invited ascetic nashik ujjain local festival like priest prayag nashik ujjain competing place sacred status may adopted kumbh tradition preexisting magha melas one key feature kumbh mela camp procession sadhu monk th century many organised one thirteen akharas warrior ascetic band monastic militia ten related hinduism three related sikhism seven belonged shaivism tradition three vaishnavism two udasis founded guru nanak son one nirmalas soldiermonk tradition wellestablished feature indian society prominent feature kumbh melas east india company rule kumbh melas magha melas managed akharas provide logistical arrangement policing intervened judged dispute collected tax also central attraction stop mainstream hindu seek darsana meeting view well spiritual guidance blessing kumbh melas one recruitment initiation venue well place trade akharas root hindu naga naked monk tradition went war without clothes monastic group traditionally credit kumbh mela thcentury hindu philosopher adi shankara part effort start monastic institution matha major hindu gathering philosophical discussion debate however historic literary evidence actually start kumbh melas th century akharas competed ritual primacy priority right bathe first auspicious time prominence leading violent conflict record east india company rule era report violence akharas numerous death kumbh mela haridwar clash broke shaivite gosains vaishnavite bairagis ascetic resulting hundred death copper plate inscription maratha peshwa claim ascetic died clash shaivite sanyasi vaishnavite bairagis nashik kumbh mela dispute started bathing order indicated status akharas kumbh mela haridwar violence broke shaivites udasis logistics camping right repetitive clash battleready nature warrior monk lucrative tax trading opportunity kumbh melas thcentury attracted attention east india company official intervened laid camp trading space established bathing order akhara state government taken role provide infrastructure kumbh mela respective state kumbh melas attract many loner sadhu monk belong akharas belong group thirteen active akharas shaiva akharas mahanirvani atal niranjani anand juna avahan agni vaishnava akharas nirvani digambar nirmohi sikh akharas bara panchayati udasins chota panchayati udasins nirmal ten shaiva vaishnava akharas also known dasanamis believe adi shankara founded one traditional duty dharmaraksha protection faith kumbh melas past albeit different regional name attracted large attendance religiously significant hindu century however religious event hindu community historically kumbh melas also major commercial event initiation new recruit akharas prayer community singing spiritual discussion education spectacle colonial era rule east india company official saw hindu pilgrimage mean collect vast sum revenue pilgrim tax tax trade occurred festival according dubey well macclean islamic encyclopaedia yadgaribahaduri written lucknow described prayag festival sanctity hindu british official state dubey raised tax amount greater average monthly income attendance fell drastically prayagwal panda initially went along according colonial record later resisted impact religious tax pilgrim became clear lord auckland abolished pilgrim tax vast number returned pilgrimage thereafter according macclean colonial record period prayag mela present biased materialistic view given written colonialist missionary baptist missionary john chamberlain visited ardh kumbh mela haridwar stated large number visitor came trade also includes letter missionary friend distributed copy gospel pilgrim tried convert christianity according account haridwar kumbh mela british civil servant robert montgomery martin visitor fair included people number race clime along priest soldier religious mendicant fair horse trader bukhara kabul turkistan well arab persian festival roadside merchant food grain confectioner clothes toy item thousand pilgrim every form transport well foot marched pilgrimage site dressed colourful costume without clothes occasionally shouting mahadeo bol bol bol together night river bank camp illuminated oil lamp firework burst river innumerable floating lamp set pilgrim drifted downstream river several hindu raja sikh ruler muslim nawab visited fair european watched crowd christian missionary distributed religious literature hardwar mela wrote martin prior british official collected tax provided infrastructure service pilgrim changed particularly according amna khalid kumbh melas emerged one social political mobilisation venue colonial government became keen monitoring development indian rebellion government deployed police gain intelligence grassroots level kumbh mela british official cooperation native police also made attempt improve infrastructure movement pilgrim avoid stampede detect sickness sanitary condition melas report cholera led official cancel pilgrimage pilgrim went passive resistance stated preferred die rather obey official order kumbh melas site tragedy according sharaf addin ali yazdi historian biographer turcomongol raider conqueror timur timur army plundered haridwar massacred gathered pilgrim ruthlessly slaughtered pilgrim likely attending kumbh mela timur account mention mass bathing ritual along shaving head sacred river ganges charitable donation place mountainous source river pilgrim believed dip sacred river lead salvation several stampede occurred kumbh melas stampede haridwar killed people company government took extensive infrastructure project including construction new ghat road widening prevent stampede various kumbh melas th thcentury witnessed sporadic stampede tragedy leading change flow pilgrim river ghat managed people killed stampede prayag kumbh mela became source scandal muslim named husain appointed kumbh mela manager indian newspaper report stated husain organised flotilla festooned boat pleasure european lady gentleman entertained dancing girl liquor beef watched pilgrim bathing according colonial archive prayagwal community associated kumbh mela one seeded perpetuated resistance rebellion colonial rule prayagwals objected campaigned colonial government supported christian missionary official treated pilgrim ignorant coreligionist aggressively tried convert hindu pilgrim christian sect rebellion colonel neill targeted kumbh mela site shelled region prayagwals lived destroying maclean describes notoriously brutal pacification allahabad prayagwals targeted destroyed mission press church allahabad british regained control region prayagwals persecuted colonial official convicted hanged others government proof enough convict persecuted large tract kumbh mela land near gangayamuna confluence confiscated annexed government cantonment year prayagwals kumbh mela pilgrim crowd carried flag image alluding rebellion racial persecution british medium reported pilgrim assembly protest later kumbh mela strangely hostile disbelief state maclean kumbh mela continued play important role independence movement place native people politician periodically gathered large number sanatan dharm sabha met prayag kumbh mela resolved start banaras hindu university madan mohan malaviyas leadership kumbh melas also one hub hindutva movement politics vishva hindu parishad founded haridwar kumbh mela historical modern estimate attendance vary greatly source example colonial era imperial gazetteer india reported million pilgrim attended kumbh mela added number may exaggeration era major famine cholera plague epidemic british india pilgrimage dropped world war ii colonial government banned kumbh mela conserve scarce supply fuel ban coupled false rumour japan planned bomb commit genocide kumbh mela site led sharply lower attendance kumbh mela prior decade estimated million pilgrim gathered kumbh mela india independence attendance rose sharply amavasya – one three key bathing date million attended kumbh million attended kumbh kumbh attracted million april million pilgrim attended kumb mela haridwar busiest single day according himalayan academy editor ikonos satellite image confirmed large human gathering official estimating million people festival including million busiest single day according bbc news another estimate state million attended kumbh mela busiest mauni amavasya day alone many million pilgrim attended day long ardha kumbh mela prayagraj million pilgrim attended kumbh mela prayagraj nasik registered maximum visitor million maha kumbh prayagraj largest world attendance scale preparation keep rising successive celebration ardh kumbh prayagraj preparation included construction ₹ million equivalent ₹ billion u million temporary city hectare temporary toilet range accommodation simple dormitory tent star tent special train indian railway artificially intelligent video surveillance analytics ibm disease surveillance river transport management inland waterway authority india app help visitor kumbh mela widely regarded world largest religious gathering state james lochtefeld according kama maclean coordinator attendee state part glory kumbh festival feeling brotherhood love million peacefully gather river bank harmony sense shared heritage modern religious psychological theory kumbh mela exemplifies émile durkheim concept collective effervescence phenomenon occurs individual gather shared ritual fostering profound sense unity belonging collective energy generated mela strengthens social bond elevates individual communal consciousness illustrating power gathering create shared identity purpose kumbh mela classified purna kumbh mela sometimes called kumbh full kumbha occurs every year given site ardh kumbh mela half kumbh occurs approximately every year two purna kumbha melas prayagraj haridwar maha kumbh occurs every purna kumbh melas ie every year prayagraj kumbh mela uttar pradesh chief minister yogi adityanath announced ardh kumbh mela organised every year simply known kumbh mela kumbh mela organised every year known maha kumbh mela great kumbh mela numerous site fair locally referred kumbh melas four site broadly recognised kumbh melas prayagraj haridwar trimbaknashik ujjain location sometimes called kumbh melas – bathing ritual significant participation pilgrim – include kurukshetra sonipat site celebration date calculated advance according special combination zodiacal position bṛhaspati jupiter surya sun chandra moon relative year vary four site cycle repeat every year since jupiter orbit completes year calendar year adjustment appears approximately cycle therefore approximately century kumbh mela return site year kumbh mela prayagraj celebrated approximately year kumbh haridwar year kumbh nashik ujjain celebrated year one year apart kumbh mela attracts ten million pilgrim providing safe pleasant temporary stay festival site complex challenging task camping santhasakharas food water sanitation emergency health care fire service policing disaster management preparation movement people require significant prior planning assistance special need lost family member bhulebhatke kendra demand extensive onsite communication coordination case prayag particular festival site predominantly submerged monsoon month festival management worker two half month start complete construction temporarily infrastructure necessary pilgrim making task even challenging indian government authority cooperation seva volunteer monk indian company set sector camp cluster providing roundtheclock first aid ambulance pharmacy sector cleaning sanitation food water distribution setting kilometre mi pipeline operated pump cooking fuel service according baranwal et al day field study kumbh mela found mela committee agency involved mela management successfully supervised event made convenient efficient safe assessment shared usbased center disease control nasik kumbh mela bathing dip river water prayer central ritual kumbh melas pilgrim traditionally amavasya – cherished day bathing – hindu pilgrim welcome wait thirteen sadhu akharas bathe first event – called shahi snan rajyogi snan – marked celebratory processional march banner flag elephant horse musician along naked scantily clad monk smeared bhasma ash monastic institution come different part india particular emblem symbol deity ganesha dattatreya hanuman etc largest contingent juna akhara traced adi shankara representing diverse mix four largest hindu monastery india headquarters sringeri dvarka jyotirmatha govardhana mahanirbani niranjani large contingent akhara lineage saint teacher large crowd gather reverence cheer procession monk monk taken dip festival day open bathing pilgrim far near site bathing ritual pilgrim may aided prayagwal priest maybe simple dip private aided ritual may begin mundan shaving head prayer offering flower sindur vermilion milk coconut along recitation hymn shradha prayer honour one ancestor elaborate ceremony include yajna homa led priest riverside ritual pilgrim take dip water stand prays short exit river water many proceed visit old hindu temple near site motivation bathing ritual several significant belief tirtha pilgrimage kumbh mela site bathing holy river salvific value moksha – mean liberation cycle rebirth samsara pilgrimage also recommended hindu text made mistake sinned repent error mean prāyaścitta atonement penance mistake pilgrimage bathing holy river motivation penance mean selfpurify vedic precedent discussed early dharma literature hinduism example epic mahabharata king yudhisthira described state full sorrow despair participating violence great war killed many go saint advises go pilgrimage prayag bathe river ganges mean penance pilgrim walk considerable distance arrive barefoot part religious tradition pilgrim stay day two stay entire month magh festival live austere life stay attend spiritual discourse fast pray month kumbh pilgrim called kalpavasis festival site strictly vegetarian tradition violence animal considered unacceptable many pilgrim practice partial one meal day full vrata daylong fasting abstain elaborate meal ritual practice punctuated celebratory feast vast number people sit row share community meal – mahaprasada – prepared volunteer charitable donation tradition family company sponsor anna dana food charity event particularly monk poor pilgrim management established multiple food stall offering delicacy different state india activity mela include religious discussion pravachan devotional singing kirtan religious assembly doctrine debated standardised shastrartha festival ground also feature wide range cultural spectacle month celebration include kalagram venue kala indian art laser light show classical dance musical performance different part india thematic gate reflecting historic regional architectural diversity boat ride tourist walk historic site near river well opportunity visit monastic camp watch yoga adept spiritual discourse darshan viewing important part kumbh mela people make pilgrimage kumbh mela specifically observe experience religious secular aspect event two major group participate kumbh mela include sadhu hindu holy men pilgrim continual yogic practice sadhu articulate transitory aspect life sadhu travel kumbh mela make available much hindu public allows member hindu public interact sadhu take darshan able seek instruction advice spiritual life darshan focus visual exchange interaction religious deity worshiper able visually drink divine power kumbh mela arranged camp give hindu worshiper access sadhu darshan important experience kumbh mela worshiper must careful displease religious deity seeing sadhu carefully managed worshiper often leave token foot kumbh mela theme many documentary including king straw mat directed ira cohen kumbh mela greatest show earth directed graham day short cut nirvana kumbh mela directed nick day produced maurizio benazzo kumbh mela song river nadeem uddin invocation kumbh mela kumbh mela living mahatiagi ukrainian religious study project ahamot kumbh mela walking naga amrit nectar immortality directed jonas scheu philipp eyer national geographic filmed broadcast documentary prayag kumbh mela named inside nirvana direction karina holden scholar kama maclean consultant national geographic returned filmed documentary inside mahakumbh indian foreign news medium covered kumbh mela regularly april popular american morning show cbs news sunday morning extensively covered haridwars kumbh mela calling largest pilgrimage earth april bbc released audio video report kumbh mela titled kumbh mela greatest show earth september kumbh mela featured second episode sky one tv series idiot abroad karl pilkington visiting festival young sibling getting separated kumbh mela recurring theme hindi movie amrita kumbher sandhane bengali feature film directed dilip roy also document kumbh mela ashish avikunthaks bengalilanguage feature length fiction film kalkimanthakatha shot prayag kumbh mela film two character search tenth final avatar lord vishnu – kalki line samuel beckett waiting godot barahakshetra – semikumbh mela sunsari nepal mahamaham – tamil kumbh mela pushkaram – river festival karnataka andhra pradesh telangana pushkar fair – springtime fair rajasthan includes tradition dip pushkar lake list largest gathering history kane p v history dharmaśāstra ancient medieval religious civil law india vol maclean kama august pilgrimage power kumbh mela allahabad – oup usa isbn krishnaswamy c ghosh amalananda october note allahabad pillar aśoka journal royal asiatic society great britain ireland – jstor pingree david mesopotamian origin early indian mathematical astronomy journal history astronomy sage – bibcodejhap doi scid pingree david jyotihśāstra astral mathematical literature otto harrassowitz isbn yukio ohashi johannes andersen ed highlight astronomy volume b springer science isbn harvard university south asia institute kumbh mela mapping ephemeral megacity new delhi niyogi book isbn kumbh mela sadhusenglish paperback badri narain kedar narain pilgrim publishing india isbn kumbh sarvjan – sahbhagita ka vishalatam amritparva disc hindi paperback ramanandpilgrims publishing indiaisbn medium related kumbh mela wikimedia common official website kumbh mela magical celebration life documentary