Monday12 Mar 11:33 AM

Kumbha Mela Slideshow + Burning Man

Indian cross dressers at the Ardha Kumbha Mela.

While investigating this controversial piece at Time, which highlights Swami Agnivesh's protest of blind faith and superstition at the Kumbh Mela —and in Hinduism at large — I stumbled upon something much cooler: this absolutely stunning slideshow on the 2007 Ardha Kumbha Mela featuring photographs and narration by Prashant Panjiar.

A sea of humanity and lights at the Ardha Kumbha Mela.

The Naga Babas at the 2007 Ardha Kumbha Mela.

I love how the piece paints the Nagas as "rock stars" over the lovely, grungy guitar noodling.

Photographs from the Melas always remind me of Burning Man, but somehow Panjiar's slideshow inspired a full-blown, albeit perverse, daydream —to combine the two festivals. The full Kumbh happens six years from now at the beginning of 2013 —right at the dawn of the much ballyhooed end of history— an event horizon that Souljerky pal Daniel Pinchbeck has been cheerleading in his most recent book.

The Lamp Lighters at Burning Man.

In some ways, the Burning Man festival is an infant kin to the Kumbh, the grandfather of massive human gatherings. They both involve rootless, tribal, cosmopolitanism; pilgrimage, ritual, nakedness, & tents...

The Burn, at Burning Man.

On the other hand, it could be a really bad idea...

Image Credits: Images 1-3 by Prashant Panjiar for Time, Inc. ©2007; & images 4 & 5, ©Tristan Savatier.

Here's a few more posts about Kumbha Mela at Souljerky.

posted by
Spiros Antonopoulos

TAGS — 2012, Burning Man, Daniel Pinchbeck, festivals, mela, Nagas

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Foremost credit goes to my wife Erin for her tireless patience + support of this endeavor. Thanks to Barry Silver for the artwork in the above banner and for his friendship, to Robert Beer for the illustrations. Thanks to Eddie Stern for his ongoing support and for providing inspiration. Thanks to my fellow farmers at One Digital Farm for help growing this.

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