Sacred waters, shared souls: Why Maha Kumbh is a living example of ‘collective effervescence’

Faith has been the greatest motivator for humanity and in the last five weeks Prayagraj has witnessed more than half a billion people bathing in the Maha Kumbh. The Kumbha Mela is more than just a spectacular event; it is a deeply sacred occasion that no other country has managed to preserve or replicate. Theoretically, Kumbh is a great example of French sociologist Emile Durkheim’s concept of “collective effervescence.” It rests on two mutually reinforcing elements-shared action and shared emotions. Kumbh can be seen as a positive emotional experience generated during collective gatherings. When people take a holy dip in the Sangam, they come to understand that they are more than just a part of the group. Participating in a mass ritual helps people understand that they are all both independent and collective entities. They inhabit two worlds at the same time: the sacred, or world of ideal values, and the profane, or world of everyday existence. It may be a temporary but powerful experience with lasting effects. Moreover, tradition establishes legitimacy through its apparent antiquity and continuity. By claiming to have existed since the beginning, tradition demands respect and obedience, framing any challenge to it as impiety or a betrayal of ancestral wisdom.

Symbols have always played an important role in the evolution of civilizations. The term “purna kumbha,” which means “the full pitcher,” is one of these powerful symbols that have fascinated millions of mystics in India throughout history. Symbols are degraded forms of higher ones. Human beings are attracted to symbols because they remind them of their original form. Without symbols, sentiments are fleeting and unstable.

Maha Kumbh creates a powerful group emblem, a symbol of identity which reinforces group cohesion. Collective rituals like Kumbh always consecrate ideals and values, charging symbolic objects with new or renewed significance. For tirthyatris, participating in Kumbh-snan is a personal gain. It gives an emotional energy. It works as a powerful resource of motivation derived from collective experience. So, after taking a dip, they feel not only good but also morally exalted, believing that they are doing what is most important and valuable. With these factors, the universal human need for faith and devotion must also be recognized.

The sadhus with their traditional akharas and sampradayas, the kalpavasis, and the tirthayatris are the traditional participants at the Kumbha Mela. With its ancient traditions and mystical experiences, this grand event offers participants a chance to connect with higher consciousness, giving it an almost otherworldly aura.

Tirtha is also a symbol, a place which stimulates the pilgrim’s aspiration for the spiritual life and helps their inner purification. In the Mahabharata, the powerful warrior Bhishma asks the Sage Pulastya about the meaning of tirthas. The Sage gives a detailed answer, describing nearly two hundred sacred sites and rivers, along with the blessings they are believed to offer. During his explanation, Sage Pulastya mentions that a pilgrim who bathes at the meeting point of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers earns salvation for his entire family. Even in the Vedic age, the confluence of the two rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, was hymned as one such tirtha, where men and women came together to achieve spiritual purification, especially in their last days.  Rig Veda mentions, “at the holy confluence of the white and blue streams, those who come to discard their bodies achieve immortality”.

The Kumbha Mela has displayed remarkable resilience over centuries. Despite facing numerous adversities, including foreign invasions, colonial rule, epidemics, and political changes, the festival has endured, highlighting the unwavering faith of its devotees. Historically, during the medieval era, India witnessed significant political and social upheaval. Yet the Kumbha Mela continued to be held, albeit with certain restrictions or under the radar. There are accounts suggesting that local rulers and Hindu spiritual leaders took measures to protect the sanctity of the Mela, ensuring that the gathering persisted despite the turbulent environment.

During the British colonial rule, the Kumbha Mela faced different challenges. The British administration, often wary of large gatherings due to the risk of rebellion and disease outbreaks, sought to regulate and sometimes curtail such events. In the early nineteenth century, tirthayatris to Prayaga were subject to high taxes for about thirty years during the East India Company’s reign. After a tragic stampede at the 1820 Kumbha Mela in Haridwar, which resulted in numerous deaths, the colonial authorities imposed stricter crowd control measures. Yet, rather than diminishing the event, this led to the evolution of better organizational practices that allowed the festival to continue safely and attract even larger crowds. The Mela also faced health crises, such as cholera and influenza epidemics in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Despite these public health emergencies, the faith of the devotees remained steadfast.

The ability of this festival to adapt without losing its spiritual essence is a testament to its deep-rooted cultural significance. There is nothing in any other religion or culture that matches its scale, frequency, and antiquity. Because of its enormous magnitude and the momentary transcendence of individual identities into a single whole, the Kumbh Mela is a prime example of Durkheim’s theory of ‘collective effervescence’. It is a living example of how a community is united by shared energy in a sacred setting, reinforcing its values and cohesiveness both during the event and in the long-term aftermath.