Top Harvard professors discussed the integration of tradition and technology at the Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, during a special event hosted by the Indian Consulate in New York. They shared insights from their research on the Kumbh, emphasizing its scale, sanitation, and technological advancements. Tarun Khanna highlighted how the Kumbh merges spirituality with modern techniques, while Diana Eck praised the rapid construction of infrastructure. Tiona Zuzul noted the evolving relationship between commerce and spirituality. The gathering, which began on January 13, attracted over 600 million devotees and showcases the importance of the confluence of holy rivers.
New York:
Prominent faculty members from the esteemed Harvard University have brought attention to the harmonious blend of tradition and technology, as well as the convergence of commerce and spirituality during the Maha Kumbh.
They highlighted the valuable lessons and opportunities presented by the world’s largest religious assembly, which is nearing its conclusion on Wednesday.
The Consulate General of India in New York hosted an insightful discussion on Monday titled ‘Insights from the World’s Largest Spiritual Gathering – Maha Kumbh,’ featuring Tarun Khanna, the Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at Harvard Business School; Diana Eck, Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies at the Harvard Divinity School; and Tiona Zuzul, Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.
The professors shared their experiences and findings from their on-ground research conducted at the Kumbh Mela in 2013, touching on various facets of this year’s pilgrimage, from spirituality and engineering to administration, as well as the interplay of tradition, technology, and economics.
Mr. Khanna, speaking at the special event organized by Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Pradhan, emphasized key factors such as scale, sanitation, and technology at the Kumbh Mela.
“As a scholar, I am personally intrigued by the synergy between tradition and technology, as it reflects societal advancement. We retain certain core traditions while integrating layers of technological innovation,” Khanna remarked.
He pointed out that the Kumbh Mela serves as a “fascinating arena” to observe how technology intertwines with religion, expressing how remarkable it has been to witness the technological advancements employed at the Kumbh.
He also mentioned that the upcoming 2025 Kumbh is being referred to as the ‘Swachh Kumbh,’ noting its remarkable cleanliness.
Mr. Khanna praised the digitization of the “lost and found” services during this year’s Maha Kumbh, calling it “super interesting” as it directly embodies the fusion of tradition and technology.
In her presentation, Eck emphasized that although the Kumbh Mela is a “magnificent pilgrimage,” she was most astonished by the rapid construction of a city complete with various infrastructures within a short time frame, including engineering teams, electricity substations, health services, and small businesses.
Ms. Eck showcased the temporary tents crafted from multiple materials by skilled artisans in just a few days for the Kumbh.
“The Kumbh Mela exemplifies the capability to erect simple structures with basic materials swiftly. There are numerous lessons that regions around the world can derive from this,” she stated, referencing the necessity for temporary shelters for large refugee populations.
“Such skills will remain invaluable in the future,” she added.
Ms. Eck also commended the technological innovations present at the Kumbh, describing them as “extraordinary.”
Ms. Zuzul, who first traveled to India for the Kumbh in 2013 as part of Eck’s research team, discussed the development of businesses, economic opportunities, and the logistical challenges and solutions presented by the Kumbh.
She expressed her eagerness to return to India for the next Kumbh around 2037.
“I am truly excited to explore how the intersection of commerce and spirituality will develop. It is essential for both government and businesses—both large and local—to contemplate the kind of Kumbh we aspire to create, the commercial opportunities we need to facilitate, and what that means for the spiritual essence of this religious gathering,” she stated.
Mr. Khanna suggested that organizers could benefit from dedicating more time to sharing insights from one Kumbh to the next—not just at 6-12 year intervals but on an annual basis.
In response to a query about what the organizers excelled at this year and what could be improved for the future, Ms. Zuzul remarked: “What truly impressed me this year was the thoughtfulness in creating the infrastructure to ensure a successful and orderly Kumbh, whether it be the number of toilets constructed or the Artificial Intelligence cameras capable of counting attendees in specific areas.” “Altering human behavior is a lengthy process that often cannot be achieved through just these mechanisms.” “I anticipate that in the upcoming years, we will observe more efforts aimed at influencing how individuals interact in this space in more emergent ways,” she added.
The Maha Kumbh Mela commenced in Prayagraj at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati on January 13 this year and will conclude on Mahashivratri on Wednesday.
The Uttar Pradesh government has reported that an astonishing 600 million devotees have participated in the Maha Kumbh Mela this year, taking a sacred dip in the Triveni Sangam, the merging point of the three holy rivers.
“Essentially, this is it. The river itself is the main attraction for people. That is the cathedral, that is the temple, that is the destination,” Ms. Eck commented.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)