C'da, > 35 million / 70 at Kumbh mela, even spread over the three or four > days? Or even seven? Try the logistics Ram and tell me if that sounds > real?
I know you don't place any trust on any source, but after some "Googling" I did find some interesting stats. Here is one: http://www.karlgrobl.com/km/ This guy, Karl Grobl, a photojournalist (he is no saffron-clad, Ganga-dipping hyper-bolist), says this: "Of the 70 million or so attendees at the Kumbh, most are rural villagers and commoners who have traveled for days, weeks or even months by any means possible on a personal search for the divine. Carrying bundles of provisions on their heads, unprepared for the low temperatures, they will sleep on the open ground; eat whatever is available and brave conditions that most westerners would find unimaginable. They have come for the opportunity of a lifetime, the opportunity for a miraculous dip into the cleansingly frigid waters of the Ganges on this sacred occasion. " and "The sea of humanity we encountered was utterly staggering, it seemed that the world's population was singularly headed towards the Sangam." and finally this (for those interested in logistics :)) "This year's Kumbh was one of the most organized ever. Authorities spent millions on planning, infrastructure, logistics and security. In preparation for the gathering, orders for 13,000 tons of flour, 7,800 tons of rice and 5,000 tons of sugar were placed. 20,000 latrines were constructed. Fifteen temporary pontoon bridges were placed to span the river, complete with repair crews who constantly rebuilt sections of the bridges damaged by the staggering foot traffic. Five computer centers, a plethora of outdoor movie theaters, six petrol stations, countless tea shops, ashrams and dining facilities rounded out the 18 square mile temporary tent city that had sprung up on the dusty riverbed. Some 20,000 police were deployed along with navy divers, mine sweepers and bomb sniffing dogs. On January 24th, Mela officials reported 30,000 people lost or separated from their families. Using the worlds largest public address system, the Mela's lost and found centers set up at strategic locations all over the fairgrounds attempted to reunite disconnected families. Despite a history of deadly stampedes at the Kumbh which killed 500-1000 people in 1954 and another 60 people in 1989, along with disturbing reports of possible terrorist attacks-VIP's including the Dalai Lama and Sonia Gandhi were in attendance. " I know, you probably don't trust his numbers too. But he was there and if you take a look at his website, (excellent photographs - you will really like them: on the mela, the Tsunami etc) http://www.karlgrobl.com/index.htm you might just believe his numbers. --Ram On 9/7/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >If have to question sources, you must of course question Time, BBC or > >the other sources that Rajib provided. > > > No, Ram. I don't need BBC or Time magazine to tell me what is > possible and what is not. I do happen to have some common sense that > I use to weigh issues with. > > 35 million / 70 at Kumbh mela, even spread over the three or four > days? Or even seven? Try the logistics Ram and tell me if that sounds > real? > > Pilgrims could come and go in an endless chain without stopping. > People can bring their own food and drinks. Possible, though > unlikely. I am not beholden the logistics of responding to the call > of nature. But 35 million getting rid of it in seven days --where > Ram? What do they do--bring in Hanuman to move that mountain? Or do > they create that veritable tidal wave of s--t on the Ganga? Or they > hold their breath and > use Yogic powers to delay it for a more opportune time :-)? > > > > > > > >>From space - that was to show the level of inundation and destruction, > >you obviously didn't take that to be a census count :) > > > > **** I did not . I was merely citing Rajib's argument. I am glad you > got that though:-). > > > **** I will be very interested in YOUR version of events , now that > YOU have taken the challenge of proving the veracity of the > hyper-desi hyperbole. If I were you though, I would tread very > carefully, lest you step right into that mountain of you-know-what? > > c-da > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 5:48 PM -0500 9/7/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > >C'da > > > >No, NOT Google, I swear up & down by my Google Bible :) > > > >> So Google Search finds now are irrefutable proofs of everything? > > > >But you are way off amrk here. Google is just a search engine and all > >it does is to point to the sources. Some of those may be authentic, > >while others may be garbage. > > > >All Rajib did was to to use Google to search. > > > >If have to question sources, you must of course question Time, BBC or > >the other sources that Rajib provided. > > > >>From space - that was to show the level of inundation and destruction, > >you obviously didn't take that to be a census count :) > > > >--Ram > > > >On 9/7/05, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Heh-heh-heh! > >> > >> So Google Search finds now are irrefutable proofs of everything? > >> > >> Could it possibly be that Google points merely to whatever garbage > >> someone puts up into a webpage? > >> > >> However one way to validate the hyper-numbers would be to take the > >> test I gave. Compute the associated logistical stats and demonstrate > >> that the numbers just might be possible . Should not be too difficult > >> I hope to a desi number-cruncher. > >> > >> A clue: Mumbai's total population is 13 million. Note the six > >>zeros after 13. > >> And the entire population of Assam in 2000 was about 28 million. > >> > >> > >> > It even has images of Kumbha Mela from space. > >> > >> **** Well, that must be proof of the numbers then ! But it sounds > >> like Hinduttwa logic to me. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> At 9:37 AM -0700 9/7/05, Rajib Das wrote: > >> >I did a simple Google search and it came up with > >> >numbers to the tune of at least 25 to 30 million > >> >visiting Kumbh Mela from sources other than > >> >"hyper-Indian hyperbole". > >> > > >> >Check Time Magazine's website. Check BBC's Website. It > >> >even has images of Kumbha Mela from space. Check the > >> >Lonely Planet Guide. Please check the website of J. E. > >> >Llewellyn of Missouri. Google actually has hundreds of > >> >other such pointers. > >> > > >> >You can do as much math as you want. Since this is an > >> >event that has happened, it has facts. Facts reported > >> >by various agencies. People including Umesh seem to > >> >have attended it. > >> > > >> >It sounds like the poster cannot get himself to accept > >> >that there are 6 zeroes to a million. To me it sounds > >> >like BS when someone tries to bluster his way through > >> >facts being reported from all over. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> >--- Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > >> >> Those numbers , 35 million, 70 million,are plain old > >> >> BS Umesh. They > >> >> defy ordinary reasoning. Obviously very good > >> >> examples of hyper-Indian > >> >> hyperbole, and from people who do not know how many > >> >> zeros are to a > >> >> million. > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> At 12:41 AM +0100 9/7/05, umesh sharma wrote: > >> >> >C-da, > >> >> > > >> >> >It is true the figures are mind boggling - isn't > >> >> it? Even you seem > >> >> >amazed and disbelieving! > >> >> >Also I went there twice - once from Jan 14-16 and > >> >> then from Jan23rd > >> >> >to Jan25 (The next morning when I reached Delhi it > >> >> was the morning > >> >> >when 30,000 people died in Bhuj earthquake in > >> >> Gujarat) so I have a > >> >> >pretty good idea of the arrangements of the Kumbha > >> >> Mela. > >> >> > > >> >> >For one I have relied on the newsreports by various > >> >> sources to > >> >> >mention that on Jan24th an estimated 30 million > >> >> people took a dip in > >> >> >the river -- over a period from 4am to 6pm. Overall > >> >> it is estimated > >> >> >that 70 million took a dip over the 2 week period. > >> >> A google search > >> >> >of the event would clear the matter. > >> >> > > >> >> >Most people who came were poor and yes (unlike > >> >> USA's market places > >> >> >or Malls) there were plenty of public toilets and > >> >> ope areas where > > > >> >they could cook food. Hospitals, temples , every > >> >> house - had set up > >> >> >temperory western style toilets and beds. There > >> >> were railings to > >> >> >avoid stampedes. People were shepharded to ensure > >> >> that atleast on > >> >> >Jan24 (Mauni Amawaysa) there was constant movement > >> >> - the moment > >> >> >people got down from trains - they were led to > >> >> Ganga river. Those > >> >> >returning were directed to board the waiting trains > >> >> etc. > >> >> > > >> >> >Seeing is believing - I hope you will be there at > >> >> Kumbha Mela - for > >> >> >the next time for the main one- after 12 years from > >> >> the last one. > >> >> >Hopefully it would also go smoothly. > >> >> > > >> >> >Umesh > >> >> > > >> >> >"The main bathing day, when the most people come, > >> >> was on January 24, > >> >> >on the Mauni Amavasya day (the dark moon), when > >> >> over 15 million > >> >> >people are said to have bathed" > >> >> > >> > >> >><http://www.kumbhamela.net/kumbha-mela-2001.html>http://www.kumbhamela.net/kumbha-mela-2001.html > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> >Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> >> > > >> >> > >Also I wonder how extra ordinary an effort the > >> >> Indian govt must > >> >> >have made when >during the Kumbha Mela in Allahabad > >> > > in 2001 on Jan > >> >> >24 there were 30 million >people in the small city > >> >> to bathe in Ganga > >> >> >river. I was there with my mother- a >veritabl sea > >> >> of people - > >> >> >thousands of trains, buses etc were plying non stop > >> >> . >No stampede , > >> >> >no food shortage, no disease. > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> >How many people Umesh? 30 million? > >> >> > > >> >> >I am sure you know enough arithmetic to do some > >> >> computing. I am not > >> >> >very good at it myself. Can you figure out for us > >> >> how much space > >> >> >will be required for that many people to stand , > >> >> packed tight, just > >> >> >barely enough to be able to breathe and turn > >> >> around? Since you may > >> >> >be unfamiliar with space requirements, I can help > >> >> you out here: > >> >> >Allow about 4 sq. ft. per person. > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> >Or if you prefer to get scientific about it -- I > >> >> don't mean to put > >> >> >you in a spot here--just a thought; allow for > >> >> moving around, > >> >> >sleeping, respond to nature's call etc., and of > >> >> course allow for > >> >> >the fact that people came and went over a number of > >> >> days, compute > >> >> >the stats. for: > >> >> > > >> >> >Sleeping space. > >> >> > > >> >> >Number of buses required, or trains required, the > >> >> amount of space > >> >> >for them to come and go etc. > >> >> > > >> >> >Amount of solid and liquid waste that was generated > >> >> over the number > >> >> >of days involved. > >> >> > > >> >> >Talking of human waste, where did it all go? No > >> >> doubt the holy Ganga. > > > >> >If the Ganga is 1/4 mile wide and 30 ft. deep at > >> >> the location, if > >> >> >that much waste is dumped into it in the number of > >> >> days involved, > >> >> >can you compute the > >> >> >rise in the level of water and the flood of > >> >> you-know-what > >> >> >downstream? A veritable tidal wave of s--t is what > >> >> I imagine. > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > >No stampede , no food shortage, no disease. > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> >**** A Hindu miracle, and the Ganga's ability to > >> >> purify everything, > >> >> >nothing less! And another crowning achievement of > >> >> desi-demokrasy for > >> >> >sure. > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> >At 6:28 PM +0100 9/4/05, umesh sharma wrote: > >> >> > > >> >> >>Hi, > >> >> >> > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> >I was recalling my experience of a Katrina like > >> >> situation in Jaipur, > >> >> >which as you know is a city in sandy desert. In > >> >> 1981 or 1982 there > >> >> >was a flood - unheard of there- so the embankments > >> >> were cut off > >> >> >-electric poles were down - and the roads to the > >> >> main city were > >> >> >washed away - water cuts sand easily. > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> >Despite the fact that there was no electricty for > >> >> atleast a week - > >> >> >that autumn - and tap water was out for 3 days - > > > >> still there was no > >> >> >crisis . There was enough grain and pulses in the > >> >> house for 6-12 > >> >> >months and we used gas or kerosene stove to cook. > >> >> The farmers were > >> >> >on our side of the city - and sold stuff cheap > >> >> since they also could > >> >> >not go to the city to sell their produce. > >> >> > > >> >> >We had cash to buy their stuff. > >> >> > > >> >> >We had a good supply of water in overhead tanks and > >> >> besides had > >> >> >enough large buckets to fill rain water etc. Later > >> >> went > >> >=== message truncated ===> > >> >_______________________________________________ > >> >> assam mailing list > >> >> [email protected] > >> >> > >> >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > >> >> > >> > > >> > > >> >__________________________________________________ > >> >Do You Yahoo!? > >> >Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > >> >http://mail.yahoo.com > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> assam mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > >> > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
