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'''1954 Kumbh Mela stampede''' was a [[stampede]] that occurred in 1954 at [[Kumbha Mela]] on 3 February 1954 in [[Allahabad]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]] state in [[India]]. It was main bathing day of ''Mauni [[Amavasya]]'' ([[New Moon]]), when the incident took place, and during the festival 4-5 million pilgrims had taken part that year, which was also the first Kumbh Mela after the [[Independence of India|Independence]].<ref name=hin>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=9XC9bwMMPcwC&pg=RA16-PA200&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede#PRA16-PA200,M1 Kumbh Mela - Timeline] ''What Is Hinduism?: Modern Adventures Into a Profound Global Faith'', by Editors of Hinduism Today, Hinduism Today Magazine Editors. Published by Himalayan Academy Publications, 2007. ISBN 1-934145-00-9. ''244''</ref>
'''1954 Kumbh Mela stampede''' was a [[stampede]] that occurred in 1954 at [[Kumbha Mela]] on 3 February 1954 in [[Allahabad]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]] state in [[India]]. It was the main bathing day of ''Mauni [[Amavasya]]'' ([[New Moon]]), when the incident took place. During the festival 4-5 million pilgrims had taken part that year, which was also the first Kumbh Mela after the [[Independence of India|Independence]].<ref name=hin>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=9XC9bwMMPcwC&pg=RA16-PA200&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede#PRA16-PA200,M1 Kumbh Mela - Timeline] ''What Is Hinduism?: Modern Adventures Into a Profound Global Faith'', by Editors of Hinduism Today, Hinduism Today Magazine Editors. Published by Himalayan Academy Publications, 2007. ISBN 1-934145-00-9. ''244''</ref>
The figures for the tragedy varied according to different sources. While ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported more than 800 people dead and over 100 injured,<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/aug/28/india.maseehrahman The worst stampede was in Allahabad in 1954, killing 800.] ''[[The Guardian]]'', 28 August 2003.</ref> the ''[[TIME]]'' reported "no fewer than 350 people were trampled to death and drowned, 200 were counted missing, and over 2,000 were injured".<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,828666,00.html The Urn Festival] ''[[TIME]]'', 8 February 1960.</ref> According to the book ''Law and Order in India'' over 500 were dead.<ref name=sak>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=3F5IAAAAMAAJ&q=1954+Kumbh+stampede&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede&lr=&pgis=1 1954 Kumbh stampede] ''Law and Order in India'', by N. S. Saksena. Published by Abhinav Publications, 1987. ISBN 81-7017-216-0. ''Page 81, Page 164''.</ref>
The figures for the tragedy varied according to different sources. While ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported more than 800 people dead and over 100 injured,<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/aug/28/india.maseehrahman The worst stampede was in Allahabad in 1954, killing 800.] ''[[The Guardian]]'', 28 August 2003.</ref> the ''[[TIME]]'' reported "no fewer than 350 people were trampled to death and drowned, 200 were counted missing, and over 2,000 were injured".<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,828666,00.html The Urn Festival] ''[[TIME]]'', 8 February 1960.</ref> According to the book ''Law and Order in India'' over 500 were dead.<ref name=sak>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=3F5IAAAAMAAJ&q=1954+Kumbh+stampede&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede&lr=&pgis=1 1954 Kumbh stampede] ''Law and Order in India'', by N. S. Saksena. Published by Abhinav Publications, 1987. ISBN 81-7017-216-0. ''Page 81, Page 164''.</ref>


== Reasons and aftermath ==
== Reasons and aftermath ==
[[File:NorthIndiaCircuit 250.jpg|right|270px|thumb|The [[Triveni Sangam]], or the intersection of [[Yamuna River]] and [[Ganges River]] and the mythical [[Sarasvati River|Saraswati River]], where devotees perform rituals, and the site the great baths during the [[Kumbh Mela]]]]
[[File:NorthIndiaCircuit 250.jpg|right|270px|thumb|The [[Triveni Sangam]], or the intersection of [[Yamuna River]] and [[Ganges River]] and the mythical [[Sarasvati River|Saraswati River]], where devotees perform rituals, and the site of the great baths during the [[Kumbh Mela]]]]
The [[Kumbh Mela]] was traditionally used by politicians to connect with mass gather of Indian populace prior to India's Independence, and as this was the first Kumbh Mela after Independence, many leading politicians had visited the city during the event, which goes for over 40 days. What compounded the failure of [[crowd control]] measures, over 5 million pilgrims visit Allahabad during the festival, was not just the presence of large number of [[politicians]],<ref name=hin>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/01/23/stories/05232512.htm Politics at the Kumbh Mela] ''[[The Hindu]]'', 23 January 2001.</ref><ref name=sak/> but also the fact that the Ganges River has changed course and moved in closer to the [[Bunding|Bund]] ([[Levee|embankment]]) and the city, reducing the available space of the temporary Kumbh township and movement of the people.<ref name=mis>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=1pCXqynwwQcC&pg=PA21&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede#PPA21,M1 Maha Kumbh] ''Mahakumbh: The Greatest Show on Earth'', by J.S. Mishra. Published by Har-Anand Publications, 2007. ISBN 81-241-0993-1. ''Page 21''.</ref> Ultimately what triggered the tragedy was that surge of crowd broke the barriers to witness a procession of [[sadhu]]s and holy men of various [[akhara]]s, which ended up in a stampede.<ref>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=CO-AAAAAIAAJ&q=1954+Kumbh+stampede&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede&pgis=1. 1954 Kumbh stampede] ''Can the Ganga be Cleaned?'', by Brojendra Nath Banerjee. Published by B.R. Pub. Corp., 1989. ISBN 81-7018-544-0. ''Page 22''.</ref>
The [[Kumbh Mela]] gathering was traditionally used by politicians to connect with the Indian populace prior to India's Independence, and as this was the first Kumbh Mela after Independence, with more than 5 million pilgrims in Allahabad for the 40-day festival, many leading politicians had visited the city during the event. Compoundeing the failure of [[crowd control]] measures was not just the presence of a large number of [[politicians]],<ref name=hin>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/01/23/stories/05232512.htm Politics at the Kumbh Mela] ''[[The Hindu]]'', 23 January 2001.</ref><ref name=sak/> but also the fact that the Ganges River had changed course and moved in closer to the [[Bunding|Bund]] ([[Levee|embankment]]) and the city, reducing the available space of the temporary Kumbh township and restricting movement of the people.<ref name=mis>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=1pCXqynwwQcC&pg=PA21&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede#PPA21,M1 Maha Kumbh] ''Mahakumbh: The Greatest Show on Earth'', by J.S. Mishra. Published by Har-Anand Publications, 2007. ISBN 81-241-0993-1. ''Page 21''.</ref> Ultimately what triggered the tragedy was that surge of crowd broke the barriers to witness a procession of [[sadhu]]s and holy men of various [[akhara]]s, which ended up in a stampede.<ref>[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=CO-AAAAAIAAJ&q=1954+Kumbh+stampede&dq=1954+Kumbh+stampede&pgis=1. 1954 Kumbh stampede] ''Can the Ganga be Cleaned?'', by Brojendra Nath Banerjee. Published by B.R. Pub. Corp., 1989. ISBN 81-7018-544-0. ''Page 22''.</ref>


After the event, Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru suggested that politicians and VIPs may not visit the Mela,<ref name=hin/> who were all but exonerate along with the government after the inquiry of any wrongdoing.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070607031911/http://www.sasnet.lu.se/panelabstracts/22.html Paper 8 Title: Speaking to Subalterns/Subalterns Speaking: Pilgrims, Governments and the durghatna (tragedy) at the 1954 Kumbh Mela] by Dr Kama Maclean, School of History, ''[[University of New South Wales]]'', Australia.</ref> The judicial inquiry commission, set up after what was one of worst stampedes in India, was headed by Justice Kamala Kant Verma, and its recommendation became the basis of better management for future Kumbh in the coming decades, where this tragedy stood as grim reminder to Mela planners and district administration.<ref name=mis/> The subsequent Kumbh Mela organization remained event free after that, and grew considerable in size, so much so that around 80-100 million people took part in 2010 Kumbh Mela, making it the [[List of largest gatherings in history|largest gathering]] anywhere in the world.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6226895.stm Millions bathe at Hindu festival] ''[[BBC News]]'', 3 January 2007.</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1137833.stm Kumbh Mela pictured from space - probably the largest human gathering in history] ''[[BBC News]]'', 26 January 2001.</ref><ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/travel_images/article3597725.ece Kumbh Mela: the largest pilgrimage - Pictures: Kumbh Mela by Karoki Lewis] ''[[The Times]]'', 22 March 2008.</ref>
After the event, Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru suggested that politicians and VIPs may not visit the Mela,<ref name=hin/> who were all but exonerate along with the government after the inquiry of any wrongdoing.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070607031911/http://www.sasnet.lu.se/panelabstracts/22.html Paper 8 Title: Speaking to Subalterns/Subalterns Speaking: Pilgrims, Governments and the durghatna (tragedy) at the 1954 Kumbh Mela] by Dr Kama Maclean, School of History, ''[[University of New South Wales]]'', Australia.</ref> The judicial inquiry commission, set up after what was one of worst stampedes in India, was headed by Justice Kamala Kant Verma, and its recommendation became the basis of better management for future Kumbh in the coming decades, where this tragedy stood as grim reminder to Mela planners and district administration.<ref name=mis/> The subsequent Kumbh Mela organization remained event free after that, and grew considerable in size, so much so that around 80-100 million people took part in 2010 Kumbh Mela, making it the [[List of largest gatherings in history|largest gathering]] anywhere in the world.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6226895.stm Millions bathe at Hindu festival] ''[[BBC News]]'', 3 January 2007.</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1137833.stm Kumbh Mela pictured from space - probably the largest human gathering in history] ''[[BBC News]]'', 26 January 2001.</ref><ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/travel_images/article3597725.ece Kumbh Mela: the largest pilgrimage - Pictures: Kumbh Mela by Karoki Lewis] ''[[The Times]]'', 22 March 2008.</ref>

Revision as of 21:54, 18 May 2014

1954 Kumbh Mela stampede was a stampede that occurred in 1954 at Kumbha Mela on 3 February 1954 in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh state in India. It was the main bathing day of Mauni Amavasya (New Moon), when the incident took place. During the festival 4-5 million pilgrims had taken part that year, which was also the first Kumbh Mela after the Independence.[1]

The figures for the tragedy varied according to different sources. While The Guardian reported more than 800 people dead and over 100 injured,[2] the TIME reported "no fewer than 350 people were trampled to death and drowned, 200 were counted missing, and over 2,000 were injured".[3] According to the book Law and Order in India over 500 were dead.[4]

Reasons and aftermath

The Triveni Sangam, or the intersection of Yamuna River and Ganges River and the mythical Saraswati River, where devotees perform rituals, and the site of the great baths during the Kumbh Mela

The Kumbh Mela gathering was traditionally used by politicians to connect with the Indian populace prior to India's Independence, and as this was the first Kumbh Mela after Independence, with more than 5 million pilgrims in Allahabad for the 40-day festival, many leading politicians had visited the city during the event. Compoundeing the failure of crowd control measures was not just the presence of a large number of politicians,[1][4] but also the fact that the Ganges River had changed course and moved in closer to the Bund (embankment) and the city, reducing the available space of the temporary Kumbh township and restricting movement of the people.[5] Ultimately what triggered the tragedy was that surge of crowd broke the barriers to witness a procession of sadhus and holy men of various akharas, which ended up in a stampede.[6]

After the event, Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru suggested that politicians and VIPs may not visit the Mela,[1] who were all but exonerate along with the government after the inquiry of any wrongdoing.[7] The judicial inquiry commission, set up after what was one of worst stampedes in India, was headed by Justice Kamala Kant Verma, and its recommendation became the basis of better management for future Kumbh in the coming decades, where this tragedy stood as grim reminder to Mela planners and district administration.[5] The subsequent Kumbh Mela organization remained event free after that, and grew considerable in size, so much so that around 80-100 million people took part in 2010 Kumbh Mela, making it the largest gathering anywhere in the world.[8][9][10]

There is a reference to the 1954 Kumbh Mela Stampede in the 1993 novel A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. In the novel, the event is called "Pul Mela" instead of "Kumbh Mela".

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Kumbh Mela - Timeline What Is Hinduism?: Modern Adventures Into a Profound Global Faith, by Editors of Hinduism Today, Hinduism Today Magazine Editors. Published by Himalayan Academy Publications, 2007. ISBN 1-934145-00-9. 244 Cite error: The named reference "hin" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ The worst stampede was in Allahabad in 1954, killing 800. The Guardian, 28 August 2003.
  3. ^ The Urn Festival TIME, 8 February 1960.
  4. ^ a b 1954 Kumbh stampede Law and Order in India, by N. S. Saksena. Published by Abhinav Publications, 1987. ISBN 81-7017-216-0. Page 81, Page 164.
  5. ^ a b Maha Kumbh Mahakumbh: The Greatest Show on Earth, by J.S. Mishra. Published by Har-Anand Publications, 2007. ISBN 81-241-0993-1. Page 21.
  6. ^ 1954 Kumbh stampede Can the Ganga be Cleaned?, by Brojendra Nath Banerjee. Published by B.R. Pub. Corp., 1989. ISBN 81-7018-544-0. Page 22.
  7. ^ Paper 8 Title: Speaking to Subalterns/Subalterns Speaking: Pilgrims, Governments and the durghatna (tragedy) at the 1954 Kumbh Mela by Dr Kama Maclean, School of History, University of New South Wales, Australia.
  8. ^ Millions bathe at Hindu festival BBC News, 3 January 2007.
  9. ^ Kumbh Mela pictured from space - probably the largest human gathering in history BBC News, 26 January 2001.
  10. ^ Kumbh Mela: the largest pilgrimage - Pictures: Kumbh Mela by Karoki Lewis The Times, 22 March 2008.
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