Expert: Anthony - 5/25/2009

Question
hello.
Im not sure whether you will be able to answer this or not but Im wondering where or how the name mela was derived in hindi. In hindi it means "religious gathering" and what im trying to figure out is how the name came about. Im thinking that it may have been derived from the Kumbh Mela, but still the "religious" part of the names meaning is unclear. In sanskrit it means gathering.
I apprieciate your help
Ash

Answer
Hi Ash,

Please accept my apologies for not answering sooner - I have limited access to the internet.

Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' or a Fair. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gathering and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sports.

A Mela is simply a festival. But the tradition and meaning of Mela is ancient. Indian civilisation can be dated back to 10,000BC, using dates for astronomical events (Pleiades at winter solstice) described in the earliest Vedas or sacred scriptures. These also mark the origin of the pilgrimmage festival, or Mela. The oldest Mela, the Khumba Mela, is held once every 12 years at the junction of the three sacred rivers (Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati) and attended by more than 40 million people.

I hope that this would answer your question somewhat.  This is not actually within the realms of my key domain, but the best I could come up with presently.

Regards,

Anthony