World’s biggest festival begins in India

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KUMBH MELA. Devotees walk into the waters at the Sangham or confluence of the Yamuna and Ganges river during day break at the Kumbh Mela celebration in Allahabad on January 13, 2013. AFP PHOTO/ROBERTO SCHMIDT

The world’s biggest religious festival, Kumbh Mela, opened on Monday, January 14, with hundreds of pilgrims flocking to the sacred river Ganges. Taking place only once every 12 years when pilgrims bathe where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers converge, the festival is the biggest gathering of humanity on earth. More than 100 million people are expected to visit the city of Allahabad for the 55-day festival. Hindus believe that taking a dip in the river will cleanse them of sin, bestow blessings, and help them achieve salvation. The festival has prompted health concerns however as the rivers are heavily polluted. Many pilgrims drink a few drops of the Ganges water and take filled bottles with them. Festival authorities have warned against discharging pollutants into the rivers and have declared the Kumbh Mela area a plastic-free zone.

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