Due to more than 4,000,000 people converging to Allahabad, this Family gathering will be a bit different than others. Instead of a hotel as our workshop venue (there are not enough hotels in Allahabad), the only options for housing are tents. And to be honest, if you’re going to be at Mela, you want to live within the madness and beauty…the few hotels that are in Allahabad are pretty rough and due to the number of people and traffic, getting back and forth would take hours. Just not realistic.

Ankitha has been working with a Sadhu, a religious person, who has kindly offered us a large group tent (photos below) that will become our home during the 7-days we will be together. There is no means to have two tents so that it will be a coed tent, with two entrances. The tent is large, so you will not be intimately on top of each other! If we feel there is more privacy needed, we can find or bring a large piece of material to offer some separation between genders…we are however all adults, so likely this isn’t required other than maybe a two cloth covered changing area.

Part of the tent fee includes blankets and mattresses to sleep upon. It might be good to also bring a sleeping bag as a layer between yourself and the bedding that will be provided.

As each of you knows, we never mark up costs. Ankitha was able to secure this large tent (we have a smaller one for where Ankitha and I will stay right next to the larger) for roughly 70,000 Indian Rupees or approximately USD 1000. That means for seven the per person cost will be about $143 each for the entire seven nights. There might be some baksheesh or tips, unexpected costs that arise which we cannot foresee at this time. We will communally approach anything unexpected, sharing equally.

Bathrooms will also be unique…all bathroom options are public and will be a most beautiful mess. We plan to rent a private bathroom (outhouse style), maybe even two, having it for our usage.

Here with the complicated part…there are no showering facilities. Nearly everyone who attends Mela’s bathes in the sacred Yamuna and Ganges Rivers. Because it will be cool (not freezing), the water will be cold and refreshing. Another option to consider is to bring a camping shower bag and even little portable shower tents. I will likely purchase one of these options or bathe in the sacred river.

We are planning to have a power cable so we can charge laptops and cameras.

There will be countless vendors of local cuisine within the massive, sprawling complex of the Mela, surely within a short walking distance from the tent. Please be aware it will be local food so only choose meals that are cooked, boiled or steamer. On a personal note: I always eat local food and, thankfully, rarely ever have stomach problems. If you are not familiar with what is amazingly delicious Indian street food, you are in for both a treat and some preparations…so bring stomach meds if needed or carry packets of food. Again, access to real restaurants will not be easy because of the sheer mass of humanity. That is also the beauty!

As mentioned above, food will be available from vendors around our tent. Costs for a full delicious meal from vendors will likely be between $.50-$3.

We will be hiring someone to always be at the tent to watch our personal belongings while out photographing. We cannot guarantee a complete sense of security for your items, but we will feel confident enough to leave our things in the tent.

Like past events, this will be a storytelling workshop on deep narratives. I would like everyone to do their best in avoiding the clichés of such events…sadhu’s or religious men running about naked, covered in mud, etc. While beautiful, important, that isn’t only the stories to tell. So much more is there during this astonishing cultural event ever to be witnessed.

Many photographers come to these Mela’s. Expect a few hundred, maybe even a thousand or more. Don’t worry, with 4 million people attending you will surely not have too many issues with other photographers in your frames.

Like all my previous workshops, the only way to keep costs down is to have each photographer arrange their travel from where you live to the workshop venue. Kayak.com is the best place to start for flights from your country to either Delhi (DEL) or Mumbai (BOM). From either major city, there are flights to Allahabad, although book soonest because the remaining seats will fill quickly. There are also trains (a great way to travel in India) from both cities, or you can hire a car/driver from Delhi (10+ hours). If choosing to drive, and Ankitha and I did this for the recent NatGeo story, it’s very pleasant but indeed, long. We can connect you to my friend, Ram Kewal, who can organize either one car or group transport for those arriving around the same time (he is based in Delhi). Other than connecting you with Ram, all ground logistics will need to be sorted by each photographer. Ankitha and I are here to help with thoughts when needed.

Ankitha and I will be organizing seven people to work as our fixer/translators. Like other workshops, this cost you will pay directly to each person. The fee will be between $20-$25 per day, and we suggest supporting their meals and drinks when together.

Ankitha and I will be arriving early and will purchase a collection of bottled water that we will keep in our tent area. Any specific beverages you like will need to sort yourselves from vendors within the Mela complex or if willing, taking the 30-1+ hour walk into the city.

There will be no wifi in the tents. We suggest picking up a local phone number when arriving at the airport in Delhi, using it as a hotspot.

It is also wise to have all your immunizations up to date.

For most nationalities, you will need a visa to enter India. A tourist visa will be fine and can be acquired on the India Visa website or through your local Indian Embassy or consulate office.

India is very reasonable in regards to costs. There will not be any ATMs within the Mela area, only within the city of Allahabad which is close (actually, the Mela complex is right in Allahabad) but it will be a long walk due to the mass of humanity. I suggest bringing cash (USD or Euros), then exchange at the airport however much you need throughout the workshop to cover costs such as fixer fee, the shared tent costs, food and any other things you may need. Again a reminder we will be in a tent and will have a security person, but we cannot be responsible for personal belongings, including cash. In a pinch, there are the ATMs in the city center.