Mela

Mela () is a Sanskrit word. It means "gathering", "to meet", or a "fair". People in the Indian subcontinent use this word for all sizes of gatherings. These can be for religion, business, culture, or sports. In villages, melas were very important. They are still important today. People from South Asia moved to other parts of the world. They took this tradition with them. They wanted to have melas in their new countries.

Now, people also use the word "mela" for shows and exhibitions. A mela can have a theme. It might show a special culture, art, or skill. Usually, people can find places to eat at melas. There are also fun things to do, shops, and games. Most children in the Indian subcontinent have happy memories of going to a mela.

The Kumbh Mela happens every twelve years. It takes place at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. It is one of the biggest fairs in India. In January 2001, more than 50 million people went there. This made it the largest gathering in the world."Millions bathe at Hindu festival". BBC News, January 3, 2007."Kumbh Mela pictured from space - probably the largest human gathering in history", BBC News, January 26, 2001.Karoki Lewis (March 22, 2008). "Kumbh Mela: the largest pilgrimage - Pictures: Kumbh Mela". The Times.

Notable Melas in South Asia

India

 Gangasagar Mela at Sagar Island
 Gita Mahotsav
 Haridwar Kumbh Mela
 Jhiri Mela
 Kapal Mochan Mela, Haryana 
 Kumbh Mela
 Mela Maghi at Muktsar
 Minjar Mela
 Perfect Health Mela
 Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha
 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela
 Pushkar Fair
 Pushkaram – the river festivals of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
 Ratha-Yatra Mela
 Sonepur Cattle Fair
 Shaheedi Jor Mela
 Ujjain Simhastha

Bangladesh
 Banijya Mela
 Ekushey Boi Mela
 Boishakhi Mela
 Muharram Mela
 Lalon Mela
 Maizbhandari Mela

Pakistan

 Mela Chiraghan
 Lok Mela

Usage outside South Asia
Today, people outside South Asia also use the word "mela". It can mean many different things. You can find a Nepalese mela in the US. You can find a Bengali mela in London. One example is the Boishakhi Mela. The Boishakhi Mela is the biggest Asian festival in Europe that is outdoors. It is the biggest Bengali festival outside of Bangladesh. It is the second-biggest street festival in the United Kingdom. Only the Notting Hill Carnival is bigger. More than 80,000 people go to it. Many melas are for different cultures. They usually focus on Asian culture. They have music, dance, and food. They also have other parts of the main culture.

Since the 1980s, more melas happen in big towns outside South Asia. This happens mostly in the UK and North America. Big melas usually happen where many people from South Asia live. But small communities have melas too. These melas are important to South Asian people. They feel they own the festivals. They want to share their culture with other people. Melas help people connect with each other. They help build a strong community. They help people work together.

Successful melas outside Asia get money from many places. They get help from businesses and the government. The government often gives money for melas. Organizers and the government believe that melas are for everyone. This is how it is in the subcontinent too.

Notable Melas outside the Asian subcontinent
 Milan The Hague (The Netherlands)
 Oslo Mela Festival (Norway) 
 Belfast Mela   (UK)
 Birmingham Mela (UK)
 Boishakhi Mela (UK)
 Bradford Mela (UK)
 Cardiff Mela (UK)
 Edinburgh Mela (UK)
 Glasgow Mela (UK)
 London Mela (UK)
 Manchester Mega Mela (UK)
 Middlesbrough Mela (UK)
 Newcastle Mela (UK)
 Nottingham Mela (UK)
 Preston Mela (UK)
 Southampton Mela (UK)
 Brooklyn Mela, Coney Island Ave, New York (US)
 Punjabi Mela, Centreville, VA (US)

See also

 Parikrama
 Yatra
 List of Melas in Nepal

References

External links
 Mela festival: Thousands turn out for Belfast festival
 BBC list of UK Melas in 2010
 Makar Mela Panauti, Nepal

Category:Hindu festivals
Category:Festivals in India
Category:Indian culture