These ritual baths allow the faithful, according to Hindu tradition, to wash away sins and free themselves from the cycle of rebirth and reincarnation.
More than 10 million Hindus took a dip in the holy waters of the Saraswati River in Prayagraj, northern India, on Wednesday during the Kumbh Mela festival. These ritual baths allow the faithful, according to Hindu tradition, to wash away sins and free themselves from the cycle of rebirth and reincarnation.
According to local authorities, cited by the Reuters news agency, more than 10 million Hindus had bathed by 8 am local time (2:30 am in Lisbon), but more people are expected to do so throughout the day.
"There are more people in this city in a day than the population of many countries, and the numbers are increasing by the minute," Prashant Kumar, police chief for Uttar Pradesh state, told Reuters.
Wednesday's full moon, known as Magh Poornima, makes this one of the holiest days of the six-week festival.
Scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 26, the 2025 edition of the Kumbh Mela has been touted as a record-breaking edition. Officials announced more than 400 million attendees, making it the largest gathering ever.
Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years in a different city, among Prayagraj, Ujjain, Nashik and Haridwar.
No comments:
Post a Comment