"Pilgrims' Perceptions of Environmental Responsibility at Kumbh Mela"

The Kumbha Mela is a huge Hindu pilgrimage and festival that attracts millions of devotees. It is held on banks of river Ganga and Yamuna, organized by Government, police and local authorities. We can consider it as greatest gathering on the planet. This event doesn't need any marketing or invitation for participation, it is open for all.The emphasis is mostly given to spiritual significant of this event leaving behind less attention to environmental impact and pilgrims’ attitude towards ecological responsibility. This study tries to dive deep into the complex relationship between environmental awareness and religious practices at kumbha mela, with special focus on how pilgrims perceive their role in preserving the surrounding of the mela space.

We will be conduct interviews over 100 pilgrims at 2025 Kumbha Mela in Prayagraj with addition to on site observation and surveys. The theme of our interviews will be the tension between individual and collective responsibility. We will be collecting samples and datas from different age group pilgrims so that we can get a comprehensive output from our research that can give us better understanding. The implication of this study is not only limited to Kumbha Mela, rather it offers insights into how religious events can act as tool for environmental awareness and action.