Maha Kumbh: Biggest Planet Event (A Managerial Perspective)

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The Kumbh Mela (congregation), organized after every 12 years in four cities of India, Haridwar Ujjain, Nasik, Allahabad on the bank of sacred rivers Ganga, Shipra, Godavari, and confluence of Ganga and Yamuna respectively. This is the largest congregation of faith and can be considered as one of the biggest religious events on our planet earth. A dip in the holy river during this period is regarded as very auspicious and believed to purify one's soul and lead to the righteous path. The Mela begins on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti that falls on 14th January and draws to close around mid April. It draws millions of pilgrims over the course of this period including Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis, and foreigners from various countries of the world. In the holy city of Hardwar, on the bank of sacred river Ganga, Kumbh Mela, was successfully organized in the year 2010. Managing millions of pilgrims in a small city was an arduous task due to geographical and other hurdles. As a Chief Minister of State Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal "Nishank" was instrumental in organizing the event successfully. The success of Haridwar Kumbh congregation was highly appreciated on various fronts and won several accolades including a nomination for the prestigious Nobel prize. Taking cognizance of the repeated demands from India, UNESCO has declared Kumbh congregation as a world cultural heritage event that is attended by millions of believers of Hindu faith in disciplined and peaceful manner. For this reason, Kumbh 2010 came into the limelight once again, when people were overwhelmed with joy at the sensitivity of the "Nishank" Government to facilitate their needs. This book is inspired by a lecture in ISB Hyderabad where the students, faculty, and the director unanimously vouched for the idea that the story of this festival and its management should see the light of the day and be known to the whole world. Organizing this mega event required various innovative measures and enormous strategic planning and the same need to been shared. The idea is that this present book on the managerial perspective of the Kumbh will benefit all those interested in India's glorious traditions and will be fruitful for all the stakeholders who are involved in organizing mega-events like Kumbh.

Ved Bhumi Bharat has a glorious past of great Saints and Sages. The country was known as Vishvaguru Bharat, as several Saints ascended to the state of Guru and showed the path of God's realization much before the world was learning to read and write.
They also taught spirituality to society through their conduct and actions.
We all are aware that at the beginning of human creation, God transmitted divine knowledge to mankind for a style of life- generating health and happiness in form of Vedas.
Self-Revealed VEDAS or Supreme Knowledge was awaken in the Consciousness of Rishis or the sages and they passed it on without in any way discriminating between man and woman or between man and man on grounds of caste, creed, or color Ved is for All.
The process of transferring this Supreme knowledge to generations involved organizing events where people used to converge and seek this Total knowledge apart from holding discussions on spiritual and religious matters.
Kumbh is one such event whose origin was transcribed by the 8th-century great Vedic Master Adi Shankara. The term 'Kumbh' comes from the Sanskrit root 'Kumbha' (the sacred pitcher of the elixir of immortality). The Awakening of Supreme consciousness.

Kumbh Mela, in the holy city of Hardwar, was successfully conducted in the year 2010. As a Chief Minister of State, I got congratulatory messages for the successful event from the different countries at that time and continued receiving them for many years. For the successful conduct, Kumbh was nominated for the Noble Peace Prize.
However, a plan to write a book on experience of the management of Kumbh emerged after I interacted with the academic world. At the time of the lecture in ISB Hyderabad, the students, faculty, and the director unanimously vouched for the idea that the story of this festival and its management should come in front of the whole world. During my stay at the different Business Schools, I had a significant discussion on the Kumbh with the faculty there, and the crux of the matter was that a book on Kumbh Management as would publish so that people planning these types of mega-events can get help.
Moreover, in the past, after an impending demand for years, UNESCO declared Kumbh as a world cultural heritage. For this reason, Kumbh 2010 came into limelight once again, when people expressed their happiness at the success of our mission.
For all these reasons, this present book on the managerial perspective of the Kumbh has seen the light of the day. I realize that since while arranging for the organization of Kumbh, some innovative measures were taken, it was shared with all stakeholders.