...while some Harvard students make Sangam their study ground
Nicholas Roth, another member of the group and a student of the Graduate School of Arts and Business of the HBS, has been viewing the Kumbh from the point of view of the hard work and intricacy that has gone into the temporary landscaping of the pop-up mega city. “It is amazing how potted plants, the places for havans (sacrifices), and other things have been provided in many of the tents,” he says.
Prof Eck, leading the group and an expert in religious studies, says: “I have been looking at the religious aspects. My colleagues are looking at Kumbh from the point of view of urban planning and designing, public health, environment and medicine.” She has been meeting several of the ascetics and the gurus. The other research groups, from different schools of the HBS, related to this project have not yet visited Kumbh.
On Tuesday, the last day of the group’s stay here, Prof Eck and her group also joined Swami Chidananad Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, in the clean-up drive of Sangam and Qila Ghat here.
Rachele Taylor, another undergraduate member of the team, informs that the team stayed at Varanasi for a few days, getting acclimatised to the “Indian conditions” before coming to Allahabad. In fact, the group was in Varanasi on the day of Makar Sankranti - the first shahi snan,
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