The Churning of the Ocean

At Kumbh Mela the worlds largest congregation of religious pilgrims a troupe of theatre actors stage a play based on an origin myth of Hinduism the churning of the cosmic ocean The legend tells of an epic battle between the gods and the demons for an elixir of immortality The mela or fair is celebrated at the site where the elixir was believed to have fallen Today millions of Hindu pilgrims gather there to bathe in the holy river over a twomonth period