VISUAL SYMBOLISM IN MAHA KUMBH AKHARA PROCESSIONS: EMBODIED PERFORMANCE OF SANATAN DHARMA
Gaurav Rohitbhai Umretiya, Dr. Sunil H Der
ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts May 7, 2026 DOI: 10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i9s.2026.7983 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Immersive ethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Sadhus from Juna, Niranjani, and Nirmohi akharas at the 2025 Prayagraj Maha Kumbh |
| Duration | Participant observation across three shahi snan (29 Jan., 12 Feb., 26 Feb.) |
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Keywords | Mirroring Narrative Karma Performative utterance Reflexivity Embodied cognition Ethnography Anecdote Visual arts Aesthetics Bodhisattva Iconography Art history Literature Gesture Choreography Performing arts Impermanence |
| Key findings | Argues that akhara peshwais at the 2025 Maha Kumbh function as kinetic epistemology, embodying Sanatan Dharma through ritual movement and symbols, thereby countering Western logistical framings and teaching bhakti inclusivity. |
Abstract
Akhara peshwais at the 2025 Prayagraj Maha Kumbh grand processions of 13 akharas (7 Shaiva, 3 Vaishnava, 2 Udasin, 1 Sikh) embody Sanatan Dharma as kinetic epistemology, transforming Triveni Sangam's chaos into eternal order for 50 crore pilgrims. Saffron-clad Nagas thunder forth, dhwaj snapping (Juna's red Hanuman "Jai Shri Ram"), trishuls skyward, vibhuti-smeared torsos gleaming amid damru rhythms and jai tremors. These spectacles counter Western views of Kumbh as mere "world's largest gathering," centering IKS where flags devour ahamkara, weapons channel shakti, and bodies map panchagni vidya. Jitenbharti's wisdom "Tiger eats ego" positions sadhus as living shastra, bridging Ramcharitmanas devotion with performative moksha. Immersive ethnography triangulates participant observation (12 hours across three shahi snan: 29 Jan., 12/26 Feb.), 200+ Pixel 7a photographs (150 analyzed via Rose's thematic coding), and 25 semi-structured Hindi/Gujarati interviews with Juna/Niranjani/Nirmohi sadhus (audio-recorded, NVivo-transcribed). Braun-Clarke thematic analysis (6 phases), IPA (Smith et al.), and narrative methods decode symbols; reflexive triangulation (Geertz) ensures sadhu co-creation. Spatial metrics (67% clustering), density shifts, grip evolution quantify ritual kinetics. Juna's Hanuman dhwaj ripples sync chants (+40dB), drawing 3x women's gazes, enacting ego-dissolution. Trishuls as shakti-vahak protect dharma, purifying via Ganga-dip. Vibhuti self-aligns post-snana into tri-shankha spirals/pentagrams, burning karma per Chandogya Upanishad. Sadhu testimony affirms peshwais as guru-parampara scrolls, fostering communitas. Decolonially, this reclaims Kumbh from logistics, proving embodied iconography teaches bhakti inclusivity women's abir gestures mirroring Chandike.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... | 2017 | Qualitative study with mixed-methods | |
| A phenomenology of meditation-induced light experiences: traditional buddhist and neurobiological perspectives American Buddhist practitioners | 2014 | Qualitative study | |
| Common Core Thesis and Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Mysticism in Chinese Buddhist Monks and Nuns Chinese Pure Land and Chan Buddhist monks and nuns | 2011 | Mixed-methods study | n = 139 |
| Anger regulation in traumatized Cambodian refugees: the perspectives of Buddhist monks. Buddhist Cambodian monks in Massachusetts | 2011 | Qualitative study | n = 6 |
| The Lived Experiences of Experienced Vipassana Mahasi Meditators: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Experienced Vipassana Mahasi meditators | 2018 | Qualitative study |