Kumbh Mela 100 years ago

In 2001 these sandbars were filled with millions of pilgrims in 500,000 tents. In addition, there were 5000 holy men and women camping at their tents. The tent city was 50 square kilometers in area. The largest gathering in history -- 100 million people at Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India. We celebrated a powerful planetary alignment -- January, 2001. This nexus of cosmic energy converges every 144 years, bringing dramatic changes in the destiny of humanity.

To watch the Kumbh Mela processions is to witness the march of the ages. As the holy saints pass by on their various and sundry conveyances -- elephants, horses, palanquins, chariots, cars, and camels -- they are continually transmitting waves of powerful shakti (energy) to all the people who witness this awe-inspiring and most auspicious event. Devotees are overwhelmed by the palpable spiritual vibrations that pervade the entire atmosphere.

In 1989 over 15 million people took a dip in the holy waters and the feat was registered in The Guinness Book of World Records as " the largest gathering of human beings for a single purpose." This time around 70 million people from around the globe are expected to attend the 6-week mela. Technology has made the world a global village.

Kumbh Mela 100 years ago

Kumbh Mela Haridwar 1998

Satellite photos taken in 2001 at Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. Notice the mixing of the dark blue waters of the Yamuna River with the green waters of the Ganges River at triveni (three rivers), where the rivers meet. Clusters of white boats dot the waters, where pilgrims bathe from the boats. The mass of purple on the shore are pilgrims waiting to bathe from the shore.