Harvard University is conducting a study of the Kumbh Mela 2012-13 as an interdisciplinary work involving design, infrastructure, urbanism, business of Kumbh Mela, public health etc. The study is focused on understanding how the temporary ‘mega pop-city’ is built and deconstructed within weeks before and after the Kumbh Mela. Kumbh Mela 2012-13 The Kumbh Mela is a holy Hindu gathering that is held every 12 years in the city of Allahabad with millions of pilgrims visiting the city to take a holy dip at the confluence of the rivers - Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. As the largest gathering in the world, the Kumbh Mela is expected to draw about 70million pilgrims this year. The government of Uttar Pradesh has installed 35,000 toilets along with 550kms of water pipes and also built 155kms of temporary roads to build the temporary mega city for the Kumbh Mela. Data Chart of Diseases at the Kumbh Mela The Harvard case study that is being conducted by leveraging big data has released a data chart showing the distribution of various diseases at the mela. The purpose of this study on public health at the Kumbh Mela is to gather the largest transient public health data in the world. The study is aiming to develop a new metrics for detecting epidemics within a fluctuating population and applying it to other parts of the world during situations of natural calamities or war. During the course of this study, they are hoping to digitize and analyse the patient…
