Transient Architecture showcasing Indian Traditions By Studio Saransh

Kumbh Mela is the largest religious celebration on earth and the biggest public gathering in the world. The resulting settlement is a virtual mega city! The Kumbh Mela deploys its own roads, pontoon bridges as well as tents serving as residences and venues for spiritual meetings, and social infrastructure such as hospitals, sanitation outlets and vaccination clinics - all replicating the functions of an actual city.

The Kumbh Mela pragmatically promotes the pluralism inherent in Indian civilisation by creating the spatial and psychological conditions where followers of disparate traditions live together.The Melas happen every three years in four Indian cities Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain, thereby returning to each of these cities every twelfth year.

Since 2004, we have undertaken a recurring project, of designing a camp in the Kumbh Melas, for Prabhu Premi Sangh, a Spiritual Organisation. The seventh consecutive camp was designed in 2019.

The scale of everything related to the Kumbh Mela is massive and this camp despite being the largest in the Mela, is known for its macro to micro detailing. From conceptualising a new theme every 3 years to showcase the varied architectural heritage of India, to detailing up to soft furnishings, while giving equal importance to hygiene and a focus on ease of maintenance, we aim for the perfect camp.

The PPS camp designs are conceptually rooted in Indian tradition. As a reflection of the vision of the Spiritual Head of the organisation, the Kumbh 2019 camp was conceived like a traditional Indian fortress with a palace within. The camp was designed in a manner that could accommodate a mass influx of 10,000 visitors every day without chaos. It comprised of an Events Pavilion with a seating capacity of 3,000 people, Dining Halls that fed about 12,000 persons per day, and various residential cottages and dormitories to accommodate 2500 people. The camp was equipped with a to