India's $30bn festival

Business Daily

BBC

News, Business

4.4 • 796 Ratings

🗓️ 18 February 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The festival of Kumbh Mela is estimated to attract 400 million Hindus and other visitors from around the world.

The 45-day festival is a massive economic engine, injecting billions in the economy of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which is hosting the event. And this year, it is a Grand Mela, which only happens once every 144 years.

From big businesses to street vendors and hotel owners, to major brands and digital entrepreneurs, all are looking to cash in on the influx of visitors.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

(Image: Shoppers next to a toy stall at Kumbh Mela in 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hello and Namaste. Welcome to Business Daily from the BBC World Service. I'm Divina Gupta in India.
0:08.7	Today we are heading to the world's largest spiritual gathering, the Kumbh Mela, currently underway in the North Indian city of Prajagraj.
0:17.5	Since January, hundreds of millions of pilgrims have gathered at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna,
0:23.6	two of India's longest rivers and the mythical Saraswati River, seeking spiritual purification.
0:30.6	But this year's event has been marred by a stampede that claimed 30 lives,
0:35.6	raising concerns and putting authorities on high alert as they brace for more visitors.
0:41.6	Despite the challenges, pilgrims and tourists continue to come here. And from small vendors to big
0:47.8	entrepreneurs, many are hoping to profit and contribute an estimated $30 billion boost to the local economy.
0:56.2	This is probably the largest congregation of humanity in a particular area.
1:00.1	And the economics around the Mahakumabela is a fascinating exercise.
1:04.2	I have mortgaged my wrist bracelet and a year ring and got the money to set up the shop.
1:10.3	So today on Business Daily, we take a closer look at India's Gumpur Mela economy.
1:26.3	India's Gumbhameela, or the Pitcherer Festival is held every 12 years on the dates determined by the celestial alignment of planets and stars.
1:35.7	But this year is particularly significant.
1:38.8	This is the Mahakombo Mela, or the Grand Gomb, which comes around once every 144 years.
1:47.0	It's a sea of people around me, men, women and children, all are walking in different
1:51.9	directions. Right in front of me is a group of five blind men. They're all dressed in
1:57.4	saffron roads and they're holding on to each other's arms as they move forward,
2:02.1	singing hymns, and trying to make their way through the crowd to the riverbanks for a sacred day.
2:09.3	Among the throngs of pilgrims, holy men and families, there are also foreign visitors like Shedah Khadr from Turkey.
2:17.2	Well, I've been here for 10 days now, and along my own path. there are also foreign visitors like Shedah Kharnar from Turkey.
2:21.4	Well, I've been here for 10 days now and follow my own path of going inward.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in -32 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.