A once-in-a-century pandemic will likely play spoilsport at a once-in-12-years Hindu event in India.
The Maha Kumbh, a religious congregation of Hindu seers and devotees, will be held in the northern Indian city of Haridwar between April 1 and 30. But the event, which is observed once every 12 years at each of India’s four river-bank pilgrimage sites, will be significantly pared down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Unlike a free-for-all
mela or fair, the Maha Kumbh this year would need specific passes, Covid-19-negative tests, and constant masking. The event will also be much shorter than usual, which means small businesses that thrive during these events, including the local tourism industry, would be looking at far fewer economic opportunities.