Photo gallery: Maha Kumbh Mela in India subject of Harvard study
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An American from Columbia, Kirtan Amrita, 24, walks dressed as a tree during an awareness drive for a clean and pollution-free Ganges River at Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
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Indian Hindu devotees pray at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the royal bath on Makar Sankranti at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Monday, Jan 14, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
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A foreign devotee prays at Sangam, the confluence of the Rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati on one of the most auspicious day Makar Sankranti, the first day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, in Allahabad, India, Monday, Jan 14, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
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An Indian woman applies lipstick after a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati River, during the Maha Kumbh Mela, in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
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A Indian Hindu Saddhu (holy man) braids the dreadlocks of another devotee near Sangam, the confluence of the Rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Indian students of the Hindu religion perform evening rituals at Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
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Indian Hindu devotees sleep in the open at Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
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Hindu devotees perform evening rituals at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 25, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Sadhus, or Hindu holy men, participate in a community feast at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
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Devotees gather at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, on Paush Purnima during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Devotees gather at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, on Paush Purnima during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad early on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Temporary tents for devotees are pictured at dusk at Sangam, the confluence of the Rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 20, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
An American from Columbia, Kirtan Amrita, 24, walks dressed as a tree during an awareness drive for a clean and pollution-free Ganges River at Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
Indian Hindu devotees pray at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the royal bath on Makar Sankranti at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Monday, Jan 14, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
A foreign devotee prays at Sangam, the confluence of the Rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati on one of the most auspicious day Makar Sankranti, the first day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, in Allahabad, India, Monday, Jan 14, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
An Indian woman applies lipstick after a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati River, during the Maha Kumbh Mela, in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
A Indian Hindu Saddhu (holy man) braids the dreadlocks of another devotee near Sangam, the confluence of the Rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
Indian students of the Hindu religion perform evening rituals at Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
Indian Hindu devotees sleep in the open at Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 19, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
Hindu devotees perform evening rituals at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 25, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
Sadhus, or Hindu holy men, participate in a community feast at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Saturday, Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
Devotees gather at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, on Paush Purnima during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
Devotees gather at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, on Paush Purnima during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad early on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
Temporary tents for devotees are pictured at dusk at Sangam, the confluence of the Rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on Jan 20, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
NEW DELHI - What do you think could happen if the entire populations of Shanghai and New York were to spend 55 days on a sandy river bank, living frugally out of tents, with no supermarkets and using dirty public toilets?
Chaos? Epidemic? Mob violence? Think again.
Millions of Hindu pilgrims are descending on a northern Indian city to participate in the ancient riverside religious fair, Maha Kumbh Mela, or the Great Pitcher Festival, the first wave of about 100 million expected to attend what is billed as humanity’s largest congregation over 55 days that began on Jan 14.
