DISCUSSION TOPIC:  KUMBH MELA

Possible Starting Places

  Kumbhmela.com:

  Michael Safi and Kakoli Bhattachaarya, "Kumbh Mela: Hindus Converge For Largest-Ever Human Gathering," Guardian, January 15, 2019.

  Michael Safi, "Why Kumbh Mela In Prayagraj Is Festival To End All Festivals," Guardian, January 14, 2019.

  Michael Wood, "Memories Of Kumbh Mela: The Greatest Show On Earth," BBC Religion And Ethics, February 1, 2013.

  Mark Tully, "The Magic Of India's Kumbh Mela," BBC News, January 10, 2013.

  Karin Andreasson, "Sangam Style: Kumbh Mela Welcomes World's Largest Gathering Of Hindu Devotees -- In Pictures," Guardian, February 10, 2013.

Web-Sites

  Kumbh Mela -- Wikipedia:  An entry from the on-line encyclopedia.

  Kumbhmela.net 2021:

Kumbh Mela In The News

  Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Aakash Hassan, "Kumbh Mela: How A Superspreader Festival Seeded Covid Across India," Guardian, May 20, 2021.

  Geeta Pandey, "India Covid: Kumbh Mela Pilgrims Turn Into Super-Spreaders," BBC News, May 10, 2021.

  Vineet Khare, "India's Kumbh Festival Attracts Big Crowds And Devastating Second Covid Wave," BBC News, April 17, 2021.

  Tulasi Srinivas, "India Prepares For Kumbh Mela, World's Largest Religious Gathering, Amid COVID-19 Fears," Conversation, April 8, 2021.

Tanika Godbole, "India Holds Hindu Festival Kumbh Mela Despite COVID-19 Fears," DW, March 12, 2021.

  "India's Kumbh Mela Festival Begins Amid Covid Concerns," BBC News, January 14, 2021.

  Harriet Sherwood, "Up To 1M Hindus Gather In India As Festival Goes Ahead Amid Covid Fears," Guardian, January 14, 2021.

"India Holds Massive 'Kumbh Mela' Festival Amid COVID Worries," Al Jazeera, January 14, 2021.

Lauren Frayer, "India Is Changing Some Cities' Names, And Muslims Fear Their Heritage Is Being Erased," All Things Considered, NPR, April 23, 2019.

  Ashish Malhotra, "Kumbh Mela: Cleaning Up After The World's Largest Human Gathering," Guardian, March 28, 2019.

"India's Kumbh Mela Festival Features 1st Ever Transgender Congregation," CBC News, February 23, 2019.

  "Kumbh Mela: Millions Of Indians Bathe On Most Auspicious Day," BBC News, February 4, 2019.

  Joanna Ruck, "Mauni Amavasya At The Kumbh Mela -- In Pictures," Guardian, February 4, 2019.

  Geeta Pandey, "Kumbh Mela: Lost And Found At The World's Biggest Gathering," BBC News, January 29, 2019.

Lauren Frayer, "Welcome To The World's Largest Gathering Of Humans," Goats And Soda, NPR, January 20, 2019.

  Geeta Pandey, "Kumbh Mela: Millions Of Indians Take Holy Dip," BBC News, January 15, 2019.

"Millions Dip Into Icy Cold Rivers For Indian Holy Festival Kumbh Mela," ABC News, January 15, 2019.

  Geeta Pandey, "Kumbh Mela: How To Plan A Festival For 100 M People," BBC News, January 14, 2019.

  "Burial Protest Over Gender Equality At Kumbh Mela Festival," BBC News, April 27, 2016.

  "Indian Kumbh Mela Festival Bans Selfies Due To Stampede Fears," BBC News, September 1, 2015.

  Saibal Chatterjee, "Kumbh Mela Documentary Makes Waves In Toronto," BBC News, September 20, 2013.

  Amitava Sanyal, "Beatles Song Muse Visits India's Kumbh Mela," BBC News, February 21, 2013.

Julie McCarthy, "In A Swirl Of Humanity, A Chance Encounter With A Saint," Two-Way, NPR, February 21, 2013.

  Soutik Biswas, "Does The Kumbh Mela Experience Improve Your Well Being?," BBC News, February 16, 2013.

"India's Kumbh Mela: Tight Security For Key Festival Day," BBC News, February 15, 2013.

  Raksha Kumar, "Faith, Loss, Luck And Tragedy At The Kumbh Mela," New York Times, February 14, 2013.

"Kumbh Mela: From Space," BBC News, February 13, 2013.

  Rebecca Byerly, "Lost And Found At The Kumbh Mela," New York Times, February 12, 2013.

"Kumbh Mela Chief Azam Khan Resigns Over Stampede," BBC News, February 11, 2013.

  "In Pictures: Allahabad's Deadly Stampede," BBC News, February 11, 2013.

Sandra Petersmann, "Millions Take The Holy Dip At Maha Kumbh Mela," DW, February 11, 2013.

  "In Pictures: Kumbh Mela's Holiest Day," BBC News, February 10, 2013.

"Kumbh Mela: Your Stories," BBC News, February 10, 2013.

Soutik Biswas, "India's Kumbh Mela Festival Holds Most Auspicious Day," BBC News, February 10, 2013.

Harmeet Shah Singh, "36 Killed In Stampede At Indian Rail Station Near Huge Hindu Festival," CNN, February 10, 2013.

  Ram Dutt Tripathi, "India Kumbh Mela Dip 'Raised Ganges River Pollution,'" BBC News, January 24, 2013.

  Amitav Sanyal, "India's Kumbh Mela: How The World's 'Biggest Gathering' Is Counted," BBC News, January 18, 2013.

Shivam Vij, "Kumbh Mela: A Million Man Dip," Christian Science Monitor, January 16, 2013.

Stephen Reicher, "Kumbh Mela Festival Is Proof that Crowds Can Be Good For You," Guardian, January 15, 2013.

  Geeta Pandey, "Kumbh Mela: 'Eight Million' Bathers On First Day Of Festival," BBC News, January 14, 2013.

"Hindus Enter River Ganges In Maha Kumbh Mela, World's Largest Religious Festival," Huffington Post, January 14, 2013.

  "In Pictures: Kumbh Mela Gets Under Way," BBC News, January 14, 2013.

  "A Day At The Kumbh Mela Festival," BBC News, January 14, 2013.

  "Kumbh Mela In India -- In Pictures," Guardian, January 14, 2013.

"Kumbh Mela Festival: Preparing For Millions," BBC News, January 13, 2013.

  Omar Rashid, "Elaborate Security In Place For Kumbh Mela," The Hindu, December 27, 2012.

  "India's Naked Holy Men Gather In Haridwar," DW, April 16, 2010.

  Jim Yardley, "Hardiwar Journal: Taking A Sacred Plunge, One Wave Of Humanity At A Time," New York Times, April 14, 2010.

  "An Extraordinary Show Of Faith," BBC News, January 24, 2001.

  "In Pictures: Holy Dip," BBC News, January 24, 2001.

  "Millions Plunge Into Holy Ganges," BBC News, January 24, 2001.

  "Sonia Gandhi Takes Holy Dip," BBC News, January 22, 2001.

  "Hindu Ire Over Luxury Resort," BBC News, January 12, 2001.

  "Kumbh Mela: A Personal Pilgrimage," BBC News, January 11, 2001.

  "Kumbh Mela: A Spiritual Spectacle," BBC News, January 10, 2001.

"Millions At Holy Festival Bathe In Ganges," New York Times, January 10, 2001.

  "Millions Join Holy Dip," BBC News, January 9, 2001.

  "Hindu Festival Goes Hi-Tech," BBC News, January 9, 2001.

Articles

Alvin Powell, "A Powerful Convergence: Students, Researchers Share Lessons From Kumbh Mela," Harvard Gazette (April 17, 2015).

  Tom Downey, "What Urban Planners Can Learn From A Hindu Religious Festival," Smithsonian (September 2013).

"Kumbh Together," Economist (January 15, 2013).

Video And Audio Sources

"Kumbh Mela," Sacred Journeys, PBS, 2014 (Available through NIC and Films On Demand):

"Maha Kumbh: A Mythic Confluence," Teleproductions International, 2001 (Available through NIC and Films On Demand):

  "Hardiwar: Thousands Gather For Kumbh Mela And Deadly Covid Wave," BBC News, April 12, 2021.  (2 mins)

  "Explainer: What Is Kumbh Mela Festival In India," 60 Minutes Australia, January 16, 2019.  (3 mins)

  "The Largest Gathering Of Humans On The Planet," Atlantic (December 16, 2019).  (4 mins)

  "World In Progress: Transgender Group Bathes In Holy Ganges River," DW, February 13, 2019.  (7 mins)

"Welcome To The World's Largest Gathering Of Humans," Weekend Edition Sunday, NPR, January 20, 2019.  (3 mins)

  "The Goodlife And The Greatest Of Hindu Pilgrimages," Sunday Nights, ABC Local, March 3, 2013.

  "Seeking A Glimpse Of Immortality In The Waters Of India's Holy Rivers," All Things Considered, NPR, February 12, 2013.

"Kumbh Mela: Millions On 'Spiritual Journey Of A Lifetime,'" BBC News, February 10, 2013.

  "The Economics Of India's Kumbh Mela," BBC News, January 20, 2013.

"Kumbh Mela," No Full Stop, BBC, July 9, 1995.  (13 mins)