From Mahakumbh to Coldplay concert: FOMO and the power of the collective

Deep spiritual and religious significance is at the heart of the Maha Kumbh Mela. Pilgrims believe bathing in the sacred rivers during this time washes away sins and grants them salvation (moksha). 

Also read: Evolving from FOMO to ROMO — the relief of missing out

But beyond faith, social identity theory helps explain why millions still endure the challenges of overcrowding. Participation reaffirms one's belonging to a larger religious and cultural community. Missing out on the event is not just about skipping a ritual—it feels like missing out on a life-altering experience or even an opportunity to be doing or experiencing what everyone else is doing. 

Humans are social creatures, and massive crowds create a powerful form of social proof—if millions of people are doing something, it must be worth it. The Kumbh is often described as a once-in-a-lifetime, heightening the psychological urgency to participate, irrespective of the challenges involved.

Concerts by Coldplay or Diljit Dosanjh generate similar dynamics. Fans know that tickets are limited, and missing the event could mean missing an experience they might never get again. This aligns with FOMO—a well-documented psychological phenomenon that fuels the rush for scarce opportunities (Przybylski et al., 2013), and social media serves as a catalyst. The mega events are also good fodder for photos, reels, and social media content!

Event organisers sometimes strategically create scarcity, ensuring that tickets sell out fast, increasing the perceived value of the event. Economist Robert Frank (1985) described how people often make irrational financial decisions to feel included in an elite group—a phenomenon reflected in concertgoers paying thousands for VIP passes.

Emotional contagion and the crowd effect

Much like the Mahakumbh, mega concerts thrive on collective euphoria. Emotional contagion theory suggests that excitement spreads within a crowd, amplifying the feeling of joy, unity, and exclusivity (Hatfield et al., 1993). People who observe the emotions and behaviours of another tend to copy those emotions and behaviours. This explains why people prefer live concerts over digital streaming—they crave the shared experience of the crowd.

Similar psychological and behavioural tendencies are seen in financial markets, education, and career choices. When a much-hyped Initial Public Offering (IPO) is launched, the stock market routinely witnesses irrational exuberance. Investors rush in, sometimes without assessing the company's fundamentals. Swiggy, Nykaa, and Paytm saw massive oversubscription despite a lack of clear profitability. Many retail investors joined in simply because 'everyone else was doing it,' but their post-listing performances raise questions about whether investors acted rationally or simply following herd mentality.  

This phenomenon has repeated around the globe, from the massively successful Taylor Swift tours to global sports mega-events like the FIFA World Cup, which draw large crowds willing to pay for expensive tickets and peak hotel and flight tickets.

While these events create unforgettable experiences, their massive attendance also brings significant challenges. Overcrowding at Mahakumbh led to tragic stampedes at the Mela ground and Delhi railway station. In entertainment events, safety concerns remain—at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival (2021), a crowd surge led to 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Environmental costs are another concern—at the 2025 Mahakumbh, 500 tonnes of solid waste, clothes, and religious offerings were generated daily despite efforts for a cleaner event. Similarly, mega concerts and sporting events contribute to massive carbon footprints—the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was estimated to produce 3.6 million metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Mass attendance signifies collective excitement but demands better planning to ensure safety, sustainability, and resource management.

The belief that if millions are doing something, it must be worth it, makes resisting nearly impossible. The electrifying energy of a crowd can turn an ordinary experience into something extraordinary. Still, this same force can also lead to irrational decisions, unnecessary risks, and even dangerous consequences—In a world driven by hype and FOMO, the challenge is to recognise when we are making decisions for ourselves and when simply following the herd. The innate human desire to be part of something larger than oneself is not easy to overcome. 

Vineeta Dwivedi is an Associate Professor of Organisation and Leadership Studies, and Debraj Ghosal is an Assistant Professor of Strategy at the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR).

Views are personal.