
More than 10 million people have taken a holy bath at the Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela (also known as Mahakumbh) – described as humanity’s biggest gathering – in northern India’s Prayagraj city on Monday.
The event – held once every 12 years – starts on Monday and over the next six weeks, the devout will bathe at Sangam – the confluence of India’s most sacred Ganges river with the Yamuna river and the mythical Saraswati.
Hindus believe that taking a dip in the sacred river will cleanse them of sins, purify their soul and liberate them from the cycle of birth and death – as the ultimate goal of Hinduism is salvation.
About 400 million pilgrims are expected to attend the 45-day spectacle, which is so large it can be seen from space.
(bbc)