Temporary city hosts world’s biggest gathering

Over the next six weeks, more than 400 million people will visit Prayagraj city in northern India for the Maha Kumbh Mela, or Great Pitcher Festival, the largest gathering of humanity in the world. A temporary city with 150,000 tents, 3,000 kitchens and 145,000 restrooms has been built on nearly10,000 acres of vacant land to help accommodate the pilgrims. Devout Hindus believe taking a dip in a sacred river during the festival will absolve sins and bring salvation from a cycle of life and death.

Class discussion: Can you imagine any event drawing 400 million people in the space of six weeks? How many more people is that than the entire population of the United States? Could such a large gathering be dangerous? Stampedes? Epidemics? Terror attacks? What religious gatherings have recorded the highest fatalities from stampeding crowds? Do you ever worry about attending sporting events, concerts or celebrations that draw large and sometimes unruly crowds? Why or why not?