When Religion Meets Platform Economy: How Large-Scale Spiritual Events Fuels Gig Work

This blog was written by one of the students who joined the WageIndicator Gig team during their Internship Programme. The internship also allows the interns to contribute to the news collection and create visuals to give an overview of different platform economy topics.

 

 

The gig economy, characterized by flexible, short-term work arrangements often facilitated by digital platforms, thrives on the temporary labour demands of large-scale religious events.

From the massive Maha Kumbh Mela in India to the structured Hajj in Saudi Arabia, and the widespread celebrations of Diwali and Ramadan, these gatherings blend spiritual significance with logistical needs, creating millions of temporary jobs. This article delves into how these events drive gig work across transportation, retail, tourism, and community services, offering economic opportunities while exposing challenges like income instability and inadequate worker protections.

 

What Makes the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 a Gig Economy Powerhouse?

Held from January 13 to February 26, 2025, in Prayagraj, India, the Maha Kumbh Mela is a Hindu festival occurring every 12 years, with its grand "Maha" iteration every 144 years. In 2025, it drew over 660 million attendees—including repeat bathers—turning Prayagraj into a bustling temporary metropolis for 45 days (DD News, 2025). This unprecedented scale spurred an economic boom, generating approximately 1.2 million gig jobs (Economic Times, 2024), ranging from traditional roles like food vendors to modern ones like drone operators and social media managers.

Key Gig Sectors at Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

• Transportation: The influx of millions overwhelmed regular infrastructure, boosting demand for ride-hailing services. Ola deployed 1,000 electric scooters and introduced Kumbh Sah’AI’yak, an AI-powered navigation app, while Uber collaborated with the Airports Authority of India to set up dedicated pickup zones (Ola Mobility). Informal gig workers, such as e-rickshaw drivers and bike taxi operators, filled gaps in last-mile connectivity, often operating without formal contracts.
• Tourism and Hospitality: With a diverse crowd of domestic and international pilgrims, demand surged for tour guides and cultural facilitators. Companies like Thomas Cook hired gig workers to provide personalized tours, explaining rituals and navigating the sprawling event grounds (Kumbh Mela Tours).
• Food Provision: Feeding millions required a vast network of vendors and delivery workers. Temporary stalls sprang up alongside digital platforms like Swiggy, which likely saw spikes in orders, employing gig workers to deliver meals to pilgrims and staff.
• Security and Event Management: The event’s scale demanded robust security, with over 40,000 police personnel and 2,751 AI-enabled CCTV cameras deployed (Times of India Security). Private firms supplemented this with gig workers for crowd control, surveillance, and even drone operations to monitor the 4,000-hectare site.

This blend of traditional and tech-driven roles underscores the Maha Kumbh’s role as a gig economy catalyst, injecting funds into Prayagraj’s local economy and benefiting over 800,000 workers.

 

How Does Hajj Structure Its Gig Economy?

The annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, attracts around 2 million pilgrims, contributing $12 billion to the economy each year (Statista). Unlike the Maha Kumbh’s decentralized approach, Hajj employs a structured system through the Ajeer portal, a government initiative launched by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development. In 2016, it facilitated over 15,000 temporary jobs in hospitality, logistics, and cleaning, ensuring standardized wages and legal protections for workers (Saudigazette).

Key Gig Sectors at Hajj

• Hospitality: Temporary workers staff hotels, manage check-ins, and provide pilgrim support, often hired through the Ajeer portal to meet peak demand.
• Logistics: Moving millions requires drivers, porters, and supply chain workers, with the portal streamlining recruitment and ensuring compliance with residency regulations.
• Cleaning and Maintenance: Keeping Mecca’s holy sites pristine employs thousands in short-term roles, from waste management to facility upkeep.

Hajj’s regulated approach contrasts with the Maha Kumbh’s flexibility, offering stability but limiting the scale of gig opportunities due to its smaller attendance and shorter duration.

What Drives Diwali’s Gig Economy?

Diwali, India’s festival of lights, generates ₹4.25 trillion ($50 billion USD) in economic activity annually, supporting approximately 1 million gig jobs across retail, logistics, and food services (Teamlease EdTech). Celebrated nationwide, it sparks a consumer frenzy that relies heavily on temporary workers.

Key Gig Sectors at Diwali

• Retail and E-commerce: Platforms like Amazon and Flipkart hire delivery workers and warehouse staff to handle a surge in orders for gifts, decorations, and sweets (Economic Times Diwali). Pop-up markets also employ sales staff for traditional goods.
• Artisans and Crafts: Artisans like Subrata Sau produce diyas (oil lamps) and rangoli materials, often working as independent gig workers to meet demand (Outlook Business).
• Food Services: Caterers and delivery workers prepare and distribute festive meals, with platforms like Zomato seeing increased activity.

However, a 2024 digital strike by gig workers highlighted poor pay and working conditions, revealing vulnerabilities in this unregulated sector (British Safety Council India).

How Does Ramadan Boost Gig Work?

Observed globally, Ramadan drives significant gig activity, with India alone generating $80-100 billion USD in revenue during the month-long period (TGM Research). Unlike the concentrated Maha Kumbh, its gig work is decentralized across urban areas, focusing on iftar (fast-breaking) and Eid celebrations.

Key Gig Sectors at Ramadan

• Food Preparation and Delivery: Chefs, caterers, and delivery workers prepare and distribute iftar meals and Eid feasts, with apps like Uber Eats and Swiggy seeing heightened demand (Business Standard).
• Retail: Temporary sales staff handle increased purchases of clothes, gifts, and decorations for Eid.
• Community Services: Event organizers and religious facilitators offer short-term services for prayers and celebrations.

Ramadan’s diffuse nature mirrors Diwali’s commercial focus but contrasts with Hajj’s centralization, though all share reliance on informal labor prone to instability (The Hindu).

 

 

What Are the Key Comparisons and Challenges?

Flexibility vs. Regulation

• Maha Kumbh and Diwali: Their flexibility allows rapid job scaling—1.2 million and 1 million roles, respectively—but lacks oversight, leading to exploitation risks.
• Hajj: The Ajeer system regulates wages and conditions, offering stability but capping gig growth due to its structured framework.
• Ramadan: Its decentralized model blends flexibility with urban tech integration, yet workers face similar post-event income drops.

Common Challenges

• Income Instability: Post-event demand drops, like after Maha Kumbh or Ramadan, leave workers like drivers and vendors scrambling for income.
• Lack of Protections: Informal setups in India contrast with Hajj’s safeguards, with strikes (e.g., Diwali 2024) signaling a need for reform.
• Tech Integration: All events leverage platforms like Ola and Swiggy, but this reliance exposes workers to algorithmic wage cuts and job insecurity.
• Limited bargaining power: Workers cannot collectively negotiate with tech platforms due to there being fragmented labour structures especially in countries like India 
• Health and Safety Risks: Gig workers often work 12+ hours a day, especially during peak seasons as it is when they earn the highest. This leads to exhaustion and accidents. Injuries and illnesses mean lost wages without any medical support as they do not have access to insurance. 
• No Minimum Wage Guarantee: Unlike formal employment, informal workers do not have a fixed wage, making them vulnerable to exploitation. Inflation also cuts into their wages as they do not have the luxury of getting inflation adjusted wages. 

Who Benefits from Gig Work in Religious Events?

• Women and Marginalized Groups: Diwali’s female artisans and Maha Kumbh’s rural vendors suggest inclusivity, though data is sparse (Outlook Business).
• Local Economies: Small businesses and vendors thrive, with Maha Kumbh benefiting over 800,000 workers and Diwali boosting retail nationwide.

What Conclusions Can Be Drawn?

India's big events seem to promise a lot, like job creation and supporting livelihoods, but there's a tough side to it. After the initial rush, workers often face hard times, and any short-lived benefits vanish quickly, just like the festivals. While tech platforms connect people with job opportunities, they often just make old forms of exploitation worse through confusing algorithms and corporate control.

But there are ways to make things better. For instance, Saudi Arabia's Ajeer portal shows that fair pay for workers can happen during Hajj. The strikes around Diwali 2024 showed that when workers come together, they can make a difference. What’s really lacking is the push from politicians to regulate those algorithms, recognize gig worker unions, and provide social protections.

The real question isn't whether the festival economy will continue, but how it will change. Will it continue to cycle through quick profits and long-term struggles? Or can it evolve into a system that provides decent and stable work? How this plays out will affect not only our festivals, but how we support the people behind them.

 

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