DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

Everybody knows Haridwar as the India's most popular mass pilgrimage. Even the poorest of poor have been there at least once in lifetime. A very old lean lady taking “Ganga mein ek Dubki” (dip in Ganga waters), and offering her prayers to god with Ganga water flowing from Anjali, is the most common scene of Haridwar one Indian can imagine. With the grand event Kumbh approaching, a lot of tour operators are offering specific Kumbh tours with a lot of facilities. They have guides which take tourists to all historic places related to Kumbh near Haridwar, tell them complete history of Akharas, take them to places from where tourists can have best views of the ceremonies by Naga Sadhus, and their processions. A simple google will also give a lot websites that have cropped up with the name Kumbh in many domain variations, and look like official websites, though none of them is. They are offering details on previous Kumbh melas, bathing dates, how-to-reach info and what not. Its a good example of customising offering. Almost everybody has tried to cash in on the opportunity, even though its a seasonal one. After all a festival of good omens and one which attracts millions of people form India and worlwide, like Kumbh comes after 12 years and in this era when its all the more covered by media, everyone knows that even a drop from them in the 'Ganga' ocean may earn them profits. 

Sun 06 Jun 2010 23:43:00 IST 

Nimesh Sharma