Geography
How Religious Festivals Shape the Seasonal Population of Sacred Towns
Quick fact
During the Kumbh Mela, the population of Prayagraj (India) can swell from ~1 million to over 10 million within weeks, creating a temporary megacity that is both a spiritual gathering and a logistical marvel.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a quiet town whose population multiplies by ten on a single day—and then shrinks back. What causes such a dramatic, predictable transformation?