Maha Kumbh Mela Photo Tour cum Workshop – Prayagraj – January 2025

Join me for a Maha Kumbh Mela photo tour cum workshop in Prayagraj – formerly Allahabad – where we will bear witness to the mass gathering of millions of people that takes place once every 12 years. Miss this chance and the next opportunity comes in 2037!

Update: This batch is fully booked. Have a look at another batch for February 2025.

Please see the bottom of this page for total fee and information on paying using alternate payment methods.

The confluence of spirituality, devotion, and colours, of revered monks, spiritual leaders, and common people – needless to say that the Maha Kumbh Mela will offer ample opportunities for photography. Travel, documentary, portraits, candids, and nighttime photography – there will be chances for experimenting with various styles of photography.

Kumbh Mela is much more than naga sadhus and aghoris.. We will also focus on common people and their personal stories. How people perform rituals, how they pray, what brings them to Kumbh, how they have travelled, kids, elders, families attending the Kumbh – there is a lot to observe and photograph.

The workshop takes place during the second shahi snan or the royal bath on the new moon night known as Mauni Amavasya when some people take a vow of silence for the day. During shahi snan millions of people come together in taking a holy dip at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and mythological river Sarasvati – a spectacular event to observe.

Whether you are starting out in photography or are a seasoned photographer, attending Kumbh Mela is something every photographer should experience at least once in their lifetime. Come join me in witnessing and documenting this phenomenal photographic experience.

Overview

• Duration: 3 nights/4 days
• Small group size: Maximum 5 participants only
• No hired models/sadhus to pose for us: Designed to keep us curious and encourage genuine interactions
• Photography styles: Street, travel, documentary, nighttime photography; culture; portraits; photo story
• We travel together, we explore together, we learn together
• Discussion-based on-the-field, practical learning
• One-on-one time given to each participant
• A personal project/theme is assigned to each participant to help them cultivate their perspective
• Constructive review and feedback on photographs
• We don’t talk about “equipment”. We focus on “photography” instead
• Designed to foster the spirit of travelling, photographing, and exploring together

Itinerary

This is a flexible itinerary to provide an overview of how our days will look like.

Day X – To be announced

• An online meet-up with all participants to introduce ourselves and discuss our visit to Kumbh Mela, plans etc.

Day 1: 28th January

• Arrival in Prayagraj, check-in at the accommodation ideally by 2p.m.
• Evening walk to get familiarised with the atmosphere around us
• Discussions

Day 2: 29th January

• Early morning visit to ghats
• Walk around the Mela site in search of chance encounters with sadhus, photographing devotees as they perform rituals, looking for stories
• A boat ride either early morning or evening to let us observe the ghats from a different angle
• Discussions and photo review

Day 3: 30th January

• Attending shahi snan – the royal bath – at the Ganga – Yamuna river confluence known as sangam
• Walk around the Kumbh Mela site
• Evening at ghats
• Discussions and photo review

Day 4: 31st January

• One last walk around the Kumbh Mela site in the morning
• Check out and farewell

What’s included

• Workshop fees
• 3 nights accommodation in deluxe tents on double-sharing or 4 bed sharing. Priority will be to keep same gender participants together, subject to registrations received. Single supplement available at additional cost
• Breakfast at the accommodation
• One morning or evening boat ride
• Guidance for developing a photo story on Kumbh Mela
• Constructive feedback on photographs
• Basic post processing
• One-on-one time to address personal queries
• Discussions on ethics, do’s and don’ts, religious and cultural significance of Kumbh Mela
• Up to two weeks of personal support (online) post workshop regarding your questions and image review
• 5% discount (only on tuition fee) in the workshops conducted during the next one year
• Invitation to be part of a member-only online community where we continue to get exposed to photography and photographers

What’s not included

• Your travel or visa costs to India
• Your travel to/from/within Prayagraj
• Your transport expense and arrangement to/from the accommodation/meeting point
• Insurance
• Medical expense
• Entry fees/camera fees, if any
• Drinks or bottled water
• Any extra meals not mentioned above
• Personal expenses, gifts, souvenirs etc.
• Tips/gratuities/gifts to guides, servers, drivers, sadhus etc.
• Any extra activities

Who can join

• The workshop is open to everyone who is 18 years old and above and who knows the basic operations of their camera. Whether you are an amateur, serious enthusiast, or professional, you can join
• You can join if you are a visual arts or cultural studies student and want to join a group of travellers/photographers for a an opportunity to attend Kumbh Mela
• If you are travelling alone and would like to be with a group to attent Kumbh Mela
• It’s ideal if you have some prior experience with unposed, unscripted photography like street photography but it’s not required
• You are welcome to join even if you do not do photography but want to join the tour as a visitor
• Note: Manouvering around Kumbh Mela requires quick decision making and physical preparedness. It may not be ideal for those who aren’t comfortable being around crowded sites or walking long distance

What to bring

• Any digital camera. If you carry film camera, feedback will be given online at a later time only
• A prime lens like 35mm recommended. A zoom lens like 24-70mm, 16-50 or 18-55mms is good
• Extra batteries and SD cards (or film rolls if shooting analogue)
• A laptop with card reader and a program like Lightroom or Capture One. You should know how to use the photo editor, especially in case it’s not Lightroom/Capture One
• An external hard drive to backup photographs or big enough storage space on laptop
• Avoid big/heavy luggage. Carry only essentials
• A small backpack/sling bag to carry during photography sessions
• A desire to learn seriously and to actively participate in discussions
• A spirit of community and harmony
• A refillable bottle of water
• Plastic bags to cover your equipment, just in case
• Comfortable, modest clothes and comfortable walking shoes
• Winter clothing
• Other recommendations on things to carry will be shared with registered participants

Important things to keep in mind

• Vehicular movement in and out of the designated Kumbh Mela site is heavily restricted during shahi snan days
• You should to be physically fit and be ready to walk long distance – vehicles are not allowed inside Kumbh Mela site
• Foreigners may have to register with authorities on arrival
• Bookings have to be made well in advance as most accommodations will already be full in coming weeks
• You are responsible for the safety of your equipment and everything else you are carrying
• Be prepared to sleep late and/or wake up early through the duration of the trip
• Alcohol and non-vegetarian food are prohibited at the Kumbh Mela site
• The organiser(s) reserve the right to drop unruly participants from the workshop keeping everyone else’s safety in mind, without a refund
• Insist on booking refundable tickets and buy trip-cancellation insurance
• The organiser(s) are not responsible for financial/other losses in case of change of plans or cancellations

Payment, cancellation, and refunds

• You can confirm your spot by paying a deposit. The amount is used in securing accommodation as they fill up fast months before the Kumbh starts. Deposit can be paid while registering using the Tickets option at the top of this page.
• Remaining amount to be paid before 5th September – a reminder will be sent along with applicable amount to pay
• If you wish to cancel after paying the deposit, you can do so before 5th September, 2024. 50% amount will be refunded in this case
• All registrations are deemed final and non-refundable from 5th September

Alternative payment methods:

• Indian participants can use UPI and send payment to parvezish@upi
• International participants can pay via PayPal using the link – https://paypal.me/parvezish or transfer money using Wise or Revolut. Please contact me to ask for bank account details
• Please contact me via email or phone/WhatsApp after making the payment using the methods above