Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025)
Journal Space and Culture, India

Editorials

The Sacrality of Space, Time, and Water: The Biggest Assembly of Kumbha Melā 2025, India

Published 2025-09-25

  • Rana P.B. Singh

Rana P.B. Singh
Former Professor of Cultural Landscapes & Heritage Studies, Head, Department of Geography, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India; President (Asia), RWYC- Reconnecting With Your Culture (an affiliate of Euro. Comm., and UNESCO); and President, Rana Foundation for Cultural Studies, Varanasi

Abstract

The greatest of the religious events, the Kumbha Melā, is a riverside festival held every twelve years, rotating among Prayāgraj (formerly Allahabad), Nasik, Ujjain, and Haridvar. Two traditions determine the origin/location and timing of the festival. The Kumbha Melā is an extended and expanded form of the ancient Māgha Melā, as described in the Atharva Veda, dated ca. 1500 BCE. The Mahā (Great) Kumbha Melā is the largest gathering of humanity on planet Earth. The latest one, held in Prayāgraj (Allahabad) in 2025, set the world record for the largest human gathering, with 663 million bathers and visitors. The Kumbha Melā achieved a significant milestone by being inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. This recognition is a testament to the Kumbha Melā’s profound cultural and spiritual significance, as well as its unparalleled character as a massive and peaceful gathering of devotees. 

Keywords

Kumbha Melā, Sacred Bathing, Pilgrimage, Prayāgraj (Allahabad), Confluence, India

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Author Biography

Rana P.B. Singh

Rana P.B. Singh [b. 15 Dec.1950--], Former Professor of Cultural Landscapes & Heritage Studies, & Head (2013-2015), Department of Geography, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Bharat-India, is a Visiting Professor at Centre of South Asian Studies, Gifu Women’s University, Gifu, Japan. He is the President (Asia), RWYC- Reconnecting With Your Culture (an affiliate of Euro. Comm., and UNESCO); and the Founding President, RFCH- Rana Foundation for Cultural Heritage (Varanasi). He conducted field studies in Japan, Sweden, South Korea, China, and Bharat-India, and delivered thematic lectures in various parts of the world. His publications include 46 anthologies and books, as well as 345 papers. His papers are accessible at: https://bhu-in.academia.edu/RanaPBSINGH/Papers

References

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