Millions of Hindus Enter River Ganges In Maha Kumbh Mela, Worlds Largest Religious Festival

THE HUFFINGTON POST
By Rueters

An Indian Hindu holy man prays during the royal bath at the start of
the Maha Kumbh Mela on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

INDIA---Once every 12 years, tens of millions of pilgrims stream to the small northern city of Allahabad from across India for the Maha Kumbh Mela, or Grand Pitcher Festival, at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet with a third, mythical river. The ritual "Royal Bath" was timed to match an auspicious planetary alignment, when believers say spiritual energy flows to earth. The festival has its roots in a Hindu tradition that says the god Vishnu wrested from demons a golden pot containing the nectar of immortality. In a 12-day fight for possession, four drops fell to earth, in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujain and Nasik. Every three years a Kumbh Mela is held at one of these spots, with the festival at Allahabad the holiest of them all. [link]