Relationship between Festival and Tourism Industry: Kumbh Mela - Coursework Example

Relationship between festival and tourism industry: Kumbh Mela Idea, design and programming of the festival In many countries, tourism industry plays a vital role in the economic growth since it can be an important source of income. Hence, governments today are focusing more on promoting tourism with the purpose of making it more profitable. Although it is possible to promote tourism in many ways, festivals and cultural events can have a big role in this. Organization of festivals can act as leverage in attracting more tourists. Festivals make people visit the place and stay there throughout the duration of the festivals. Festivals also encourage people to spend more thus contributing to the economy of the region. Festivals can promote the historical and cultural backgrounds of a country. With the help of festivals, the cultural identity of the local people gets highlighted and there is also a sharing of culture with people coming from other countries. Moreover, festivals provide the opportunities to develop the infrastructure of the city and can also be a source of employment. Since festivals help in promoting tourism, many other services connected with tourism get benefited like hotels, restaurants and transport system of the cities in which the festivals are held. Festivals with proper cultural events can be used by the local authorities as a marketing tool to uphold the cultural profiles of their cities and to establish positive images of their cities. It is important that public and private companies come forward to organize festivals in large scale in order to attract people from all over the world. This paper will discuss Kumbh Mela, which is a world famous Indian festival that is held every year in Prayag near Allahabad, and attracts hundreds and thousands of people from across the world. Kumbha Mela is considered as one of the major religious festivals in the world. It is a festival that attracts people from other countries thus this festival plays a huge role in promoting tourism in India since foreigners are equally attracted to the Kumbh Mela like the millions of Indian religious devotees. The foreigners come with cameras to capture the glorious moment and get overwhelmed by the gathering of millions of people in the name of religion. Kumbh Mela is a festival of Hindu religion. It is based upon a Hindu mythological story according to which Gods and demons agreed to share the nectar of immortality. However, the demons stole the nectar which was contained in a Kumbh which means pot. The Gods and demons then fought for twelve nights and twelve days for the nectar. This duration equals to twelve years for humans on earth. According to this legend, during the fight drops of nectar fell on the four cities in which Kumbh Mela is held. There is however a historical implication. During this time of the year when Kumbh Mela is held, there used to be river festivals when pots filled with grains were soaked in the water of the Ganges and then during sowing time these grains were put to seeds with other grains. According to another legend, the Kumbh or pot resembles a mother’s womb that produces life. The Kumbh is regarded as Mother Goddess. Water bodies like rivers are deemed as symbols of life and fertility. These rivers become tirthas or holy places. The rivers are believed be connectors between the heaven which is the abode of Gods and Goddesses and earth which is the abode of all mortals. Rivers are the bridges between “the mortal humans and the eternal divine.” (The Maha Kumbh Mela 2001, n.d.) According to the Hindu mythology, attending a Kumbh Mela is the only way one can wash his soul of all sins committed during his entire life. By washing away the sins one can achieve Nirvana or freedom from the “vicious cycle of birth and re birth.” (Why Kumbh Mela, 2009) This can be done by taking a dip in the river Ganges whose water is considered as auspicious by the Hindus. This faith works at the psychological background and several religious seminars and workshops have been promoting this faith for centuries which in turn has popularized this festival. There are many activities that are promoted during Kumbh Mela which act as huge attraction for tourists. Some of these activities are yoga classes and divine lectures given by the Sadhus, the spiritual people living in the ashrams of Allahabad. There are also several cultural programs which are arranged in order to attract more tourists from across the world (Why Kumbh Mela, 2009). Location and seasonality Kumbh Mela is not like any other regular festival for the Hindus. It has an immense religious importance for the people in India. Kumbh Mela is considered with great esteem since during this event people believe that it is the perfect opportunity to “liberate themselves from the miseries and sufferings of life.” (Why Kumbh Mela, 2009) People from all over the country and even from across the globe gather in Allahabad during Kumbh Mela to take a holy dip in the sacred water of the river Ganges. People consider that the river water washes away the sins they have committed in their entire life, hence regards this festival as one of the most sacred festival in Hindu religion. A faith exists among the people that by immersing oneself in the sacred water of Ganges, one can attain Moksha. Rig Veda, which is collection of hymns written in Sanskrit in the Vedia Age, also mentions about the spiritual significance of the convergence of the three holy rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati at Prayag which is near Allahabad. This convergence is known by the Hindus as Sangam. Hindu religious texts like Varaha Purana and Matsya Purana also indicated about the spiritual liberation that can be achieved during Kumbh Mela by submerging oneself in the sacred water of the river Ganges. According to Hindu faith, an ashram that belonged to Bharadvaja who was a learned saint is also situated in the place where the three rivers have converged. This is the same ashram where it is believed Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita stayed for some period during their 14 year exile. According to legend, Kumbh Mela was considered as an auspicious event by some of the great saints like Shankaracharya and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The renowned Hindu epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata also mentioned about a yagna that was conducted by Lord Brahma who is believed to be the creator of mankind (Why Kumbh Mela, 2009). It is a massive event that attracts thousands of Hindu pilgrimages to Allahabad where it is held every twelve years. Other than Allahabad, Kumbh Mela is held every three years in three other cities like Haridwar in the state of Uttarakhand, Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh and Nasik in the state of Maharashtra. The event that is organized in Allahabad in every twelfth year is known as the Maha Kumbh Mela. According to records, the Kumbh Mela had its origin in the 10th century. The events of the Mela are depicted in different art forms of India. Descriptions of Kumbh Mela have also been written down by Arabian, French and English travelers since the Mela has always been a major tourist attraction in India (The Maha Kumbh Mela 2001, n.d.). Marketing of the festival In this auspicious festival of Kumbh Mela millions of people from India and other countries gather in Allahabad to take their ritual bathe in the sacred water of the holy river Ganges. For this purpose a large area is occupied by tents that are owned by Pandas, a Hindu name for religious and spiritual guides. People who visit the Kumbh Mela either stay in the tents or at the numerous ashrams. Many others arrive in the place on the day which is considered as the auspicious day of bathing. On some of the bathing days which are deemed to be royal are the days when “naga sadhus or naked mendicants parade and bathe.” (Why Kumbh Mela, 2009) This ritual bath is the principle activity in the Kumbh Mela and also the main attraction for tourists and Hindu devotees. The day that is considered as most auspicious for this ritual bath is a full moon day, and the Hindus believe that by submerging themselves in the sacred water of the Ganges their and their ancestors’ sins will be washed away thus they will be free from the never ending cycle of birth and rebirth. On this day devotees arrive in the area of the bathe from 3 a.m. The event starts after the sun rises, each group is carried forward by the naga sadhus towards the river. There is a grand feeling to this entire event and everyone gets absorbed in the opulence of the parades. After the bathing ritual is over, people adorn themselves with new clothes before proceeding to worship by the river bank. They then roam around in the area surrounded by sadhus to listen to the religious preaching of the sadhus (Why Kumbh Mela, 2009). Other than religious discussions, devotional songs and the ritual bath which are performed by millions of people who gather in Allahabad on this day there are other activities that are equally important and popular too. There is ritual feeding of thousands of men, women and the poor people. People also congregate to participate in debates of Hindu doctrines. The Maha Kumbh Mela which is held every 12 years in Prayag near Allahabad is the most auspicious Hindu festival and is also one of the most popular festivals attended by millions of devotees from all over the world (Kumbh Mela, n.d.). From astrological perspective, the Maha Kumbh Mela is held when the “planet Jupiter enters the Aquarius and the Sun enters the Aries.” (The Maha Kumbh Mela 2001, n.d.) It is believed that during this astrological phase the water of the Ganges converts to nectar and people take a dip in this nectar to cleanse themselves of their sins. Spiritually, the planets during this time are in a position that is considered as a propitious time for meditation and prayers (The Maha Kumbh Mela 2001, n.d.). Kumbh Mela is considered as the most auspicious religious festival for the Hindus and the Mela is famous all over the world. In fact, this event every year attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. The Mela represents the Hindu culture and the rituals are captured by the foreigners with their cameras. Every year, the Mela attracted thousands of foreign devotees from across the world. They display equal fervor and passion over the Mela rituals like the Hindu devotees. They also take dips in the sacred Ganges to wash their sins. The confluence of foreigners in Allahabad for the Mela shows how the impact of the Mela has reached beyond the boundaries of India irrespective of religions. The foreigners join with the Hindus to sign devotional songs and listen to religious discussions. They also chant the names of Hindu Gods to feel the essence of the Mela. The fervor of the foreigners reach to such extent that they claim that they have understood the meaning of life by coming to the Mela. In 2013 the Kumbh Mela that got over on the 10th March which was the holy Shivratri day witnessed foreign visitors from 25 countries. They have joined in yoga sessions early in the morning and have chanted Sanskrit mantras while praying for happiness all over the world. The devotion that gets displayed by the presence of thousands of foreigners in Kumbha Mela proves the massive impact of Indian values and Hindu religion’s faith in every corner of the world (Maha Kumbh Mela attracting large number of foreigners, 2013). All forms of media have been capturing the details of the event in order to bring its glory to every potential religious tourist. In fact “photographs, text and video documenting the scale, drama, color and occasional tragedy of the vent have flooded online media outlets” (DeHart, 2013) During the Kumbh Mela, the convergence of millions of devotees from all over India and thousands of devotees from across the world results in profitable business of airports and hotels of Uttar Pradesh (UP) state. Tourism is an important source of income for the government, and Kumbh Mela plays an important part in this. In 2013, it has been predicted that the UP government would earn a staggering amount of Rs 12,000 crore from Kumbh Mela. This Mela also contributes towards increasing employment, and in 2013 the Mela would provide opportunities for additional employment for more than six lakh workers in sectors like “airlines and airports, hotels, tours, infrastructure and would also trigger a surge in medical and eco-tourism.” (Kumbh Mela: ‘Overall business could be worth between Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 crore’, 2013) Both expensive and low cost hotels situated in areas around the Kumbh Mela venue get full occupancy in the duration of Kumbh Mela. Tourism industry in India gets hugely boosted by this Mela like in 2013 states other than UP like Rajasthan, Uttarkhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will get benefited by earning increased revenue from the thousands of foreigners who visit Kumbh Mela. This is because most of the foreigners prefer to visit these states before returning to their own countries (Kumbh Mela: ‘Overall business could be worth between Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 crore’, 2013). According to the estimates of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) the Kumbh Mela would provide job prospects for 6,35,000 people which includes 50,000 job prospects in Eco Tourism & Medical Tourism. This would be due to the estimated visit of one million international foreign tourists. Although the principle purpose of these tourists will be to participate in the Kumbh Mela, they will with all probability visit other states of India for sight seeing that include religious and eco-tourism (Shridharan, 2013). Facility management of the festival in 2013 During Kumbh Mela many people of old age come to take the holy bath in the Ganges. The UP police has arranged for pick and drop facility. The old people are also helped during the bathing ceremony and during prayers sessions. For this purpose the services of Home Guard are also taken. There have been volunteers helping the aged people to reach venues from the cities where they live because of their inability to pass through the crowds on their own. The old people are given the facility to call the Mela offices so that volunteers can pick them up, help them with their rituals and drop them back at home. For the purpose of helping people, managing crowd, maintaining law and order, and abiding by fire rules there were deployed 4,500 Home Guards out of which 200 were women (Kumbh Mela: Pick and drop facility for elderly in Allahabad, 2013). Conclusion Tourism industry is a major source of income for the government of any country. Tourism means when people from one country visit another country for the purpose of business or for leisure purpose. Tourism is vital for any country since it has huge impact on the social, cultural and economic sectors of a country and also improves relationship between the host country and the visiting country. The most important element of tourism is that it creates employment opportunities in sectors like transport, hotels and accommodations, and also entertainment venues like amusement parks and shopping malls. Festivals and events play a major role in promoting tourism. This paper has discussed the tourism aspect of Kumbh Mela which is one of the most important religious festivals of India. It is considered as the most auspicious festival of Hindu religion, but the essence of the festival is revered all over the world. Thousands of foreign visitors from every corner of the world visit India during the Kumbh Mela and this adds immensely to foreign exchange coffers. References 1. DeHart, J. (2013) Kumbha Mela: Consuming the Greatest Show on earth” The Diplomat, available at: http://thediplomat.com/sport-culture/2013/03/07/kumbh-mela-consuming-the-greatest-show-on-earth/ (accessed on March 1, 2013) 2. Kumbh Mela [web page] (n.d.) available at: accessed March 10, 2013 3. Kumbh Mela: ‘Overall business could be worth between Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 crore’, (January 12, 2013) The Economic Times, available at: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-01-12/news/36280688_1_medical-tourism-kumbh-mela-lakh-jobs (accessed March 12, 2013) 4. Kumbh Mela: Pick and drop facility for elderly in Allahabad, (February 3, 2013) The Economic Times, available at: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-02-03/news/36721334_1_home-guards-kumbh-mela-kumbh-duty (accessed March 12, 2013) 5. Maha Kumbh Mela attracting large number of foreigners, [online video] (January 22, 2013) available at: (accessed March 12, 2013) 6. Shridharan, M.K., “Kumbh Mela brings Economic Prosperity: Dr MKS” [web page] (January 11, 2013) available at: (accessed March 12, 2013) 7. The Maha Kumbh Mela 2001 [webpage] (n.d.) available at: (accessed March 12, 2013) 8. Why Kumbh Mela [web page] (n.d.) available at: (accessed March 12, 2013) Read More