A few remarks in passing : the 5th International Seminar on Sacred Places : cosmological power and environmental issues, 5-7 February 2013 (Allahabad)

The Vth International seminar on Sacred Places: Cosmological Power and Environmental Issues, 5-7 February 2013, Allahabad, India. The Vth International seminar on Sacred Places: Cosmological Power and Environmental Issues, 5-7 February 2013, Allahabad, India. The paper presents the Vth International seminar on Sacred Places: Cosmological Power and Environmental Issues which was held in Allahabad, India on 5-7 February 2013 (organizer: The Society of Pilgrimage Studies, Allahabad University) but considers it to be a pretext for making longer and more detailed explanations of one of the holiest Hindu religious festivals - Maha Kumbha Mela. In fact the seminar was organized in connection to Maha Kumbha Mela, which is held every twelfth year at Allahabad. It is, without any doubts, the biggest religious festival in the world, attracting more than 40 million pilgrims, who share one aim – take a bath in sangam - the place of confluence of three holy rivers - Ganga, Yamuna and invisible Saraswati. The participants of the seminar focused on two main issues: cosmological power of sacred places which, due to the supernatural qualities ascribed to them, become more or less frequented pilgrimage places and environmental problems occurring in such environments as the results of the pilgrimage activity. The seminar gathered scholars representing various disciplines and academic milieus around the world. The Jagiellonian University was represented by prof. Marta Kudelska and Agata Świerzowska, Ph.D (The Centre for Comparative Studies of Civilizations).