Kumbh Mela
Every twelve years, tens of millions of men, women and children gather on the flood plain of the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers in Allahabad, India, for the Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of humanity for religious purposes on the planet. Pilgrims come from across India and around the world to bathe in the water where the two sacred rivers meet.
Previews + Extras
Notes from the Field: Mother Ganga (Kumbh Mela)
S1 E5 - 2m 45s
Celebrate Mother Ganga, the giver of life, in a Hindu ritual known as aarti. This ritual is one of the more modern traditions of the Kumbh Mela, showing that religion is not static. Rather, it keeps updating itself for the present.
Notes from the Field: Bathing in the Ganges Riv (Kumbh Mela)
S1 E5 - 2m 30s
Is it possible to be alone amongst thousands of people? Watch how pilgrims find solitude during the ritual bathing in the Ganges River.
Notes from the Field: On the Ganges (Kumbh Mela)
S1 E5 - 3m 29s
Take a boat ride in the early morning to great Mother Ganga.
Notes from the Field: The Dhamek Stupa (Kumbh Mela)
S1 E5 - 3m 2s
Take a break from the festivities of the Kumbh Mela to explore the place where Buddhism was born. Be sure to toss a coin for good luck!
The Core Tenets of Hinduism (Kumbh Mela)
S1 E5 - 3m 57s
Discover some of the core tenets of Hinduism as experienced in Varanasi, one of India’s holiest cities, in this video resource from PBS LearningMedia.
Notes from the Field: The Naked Holy Men (Kumbh Mela)
S1 E5 - 3m 33s
One of the most well-known symbols of the Kumbh Mela is the naked men known as Naga Sadhus. Why are they naked, and what happens when host Bruce Feiler joins a Naga Sadhus in his tent? Find out!
Notes from the Field: Bathing in the Ganges (Kumbh Mela)
S1 E5 - 2m 52s
Bathe in the Ganges River with American pilgrim Karmen Plasencia.
Kumbh Mela (Preview)
S1 E5 - 1m 36s
Bathe in the sacred river Ganga alongside 100 million Hindus. This episode of Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler premieres December 30 at 8/7C on PBS (check local listings). See more from the Kumbh Mela at http://pbs.org/sacredjourneys
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