book 1
Khumb Mela India
he Khumb Mela of 2001 is believed to be the largest congregation of humanity in history. Some 60 million pilgrims visited this Hindu festival between the 9th of January and 21st of February. The Hindu belief is that gods and demons once fought a battle for a khumb (pitcher) containing the nectar of immortality. Four drops were spilled
at four towns along the Ganges: Allahabad, Hardiwar, Nasik and Ujjain. A huge mela (fair) is held every 12 years at these holy places. The Khumb at Allahabad is the largest and most significant of all. Pilgrims from all over India mass to bath where the three holy rivers cross: Ganges, Yamuna and the invisible, mythological river of Saraswati. The holy confluence of the three rivers is called Sangam. On the 24th of January an incredible 30 million people are believed to have made the holy bath.
