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Kumbh Mela – The Largest Gathering of Humanity

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From now until March, millions of people will travel to the city of Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India for the Kumbh Mela.  Nearly, 120 million people attend this mela, or fair, over a 50 day period. That’s almost double the population of the UK or France. The Kumbh Mela is considered the world’s largest gathering of humanity.  It’s a two-month long Hindu pilgrimage during which attendees bathe at the confluence of the Yamuna, Ganges, and the mythical Saraswati River. The ritual is believed to help cleanse any sins.

“The Kumbh Mela is considered the world’s largest gathering of humanity. “

The most prevalent sight is the Hindu holy men who gather here covered in ash known as “sadhus”.  They gather, dressed in saffron cloth, often sporting dreadlocks, as this is an important meeting point for them organizationally.  The Kumbh Mela can be a type of reunion for these sadhus as the mela is the only time they meet.

The first accounts of the Kumbh Mela are referenced by a Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler, who traveled to India from 629 to 645 A.D.  But it is believed the festival has been celebrated for centuries prior. While the origins of the Kumbh Mela are uncertain, the locations where the mela is held every three years is seeded in Hindu mythology.  It is believed by Hindus that Lord Vishnu after battling the demons, took the pot or “Kumbha” of Amrit, believed to grant eternal life, to the heavens on his bird-chariot Garuda. While traveling, four drops of the Amrit fell to earth at the cities of Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nasik, and Ujjain.  Every three years the mela rotates between these three cities and every twelfth year, the Maha, or Great, Kumbh Mela is celebrated.

“The first accounts of the Kumbh Mela are referenced by a Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler, who traveled to India from 629 to 645 A.D.  But it is believed the festival has been celebrated for centuries prior.”

To learn more, please click here to visit the official website for the Kumbh Mela

Happy Holi: From Hindu Festival to Global Culture

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Holi, or, the festival of colors as it is commonly referred to, is a Hindu tradition that has become part of the culture of India and other parts of South Asia.  Holi marks the end of winter and beginning of spring and is celebrated each year following the lunar calendar.  It usually falls between February and March.   While it has origins to the Hindu religion, the festival has elevated beyond religion, caste and race and celebrated by billions around the world.  The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships.

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Diwali and its Cultural Importance to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka

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Diwali, Deepavali or the Festival of Lights, is a culturally important holiday in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.  Its origins have roots in the Hindu religion.  It’s celebrated in October or November, falling on different days, since it’s based on the lunar calendar. The main night of the holiday falls on the darkest night of the month. Diwali represents the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and overall hope over despair. The festival is celebrated in many countries outside of South Asia.  While it is a national holiday in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, it is also officially recognized in Fiji, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Singapore, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

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Learn more about how Vibrant South Asian started

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Vibrant South Asian was inspired by the idea of breaking down stereotypes associated with South Asian countries by educating our community about positive attributes of the region. We recognized that many people in our community were enthusiastic to learn about these countries but needed guidance and resources.
While connecting our community to South Asia was important to us, we also wanted to do something to give back to the vibrant region of South Asia. Filled with rich cultures and traditions, this region is also home to areas of extreme poverty.  We decided we wanted to do something to improve access to education.  It seemed fitting that we would focus on educating our community about South Asia while enabling the people of that region to obtain an education that could improve their lives.  We contemplated various ways of improving access to education and eventually decided to focus our efforts on building libraries in impoverished areas of the countries.

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