![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
You are in: World: South Asia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
![]() |
Monday, 8 January, 2001, 17:21 GMT
Pilgrimage to Maha Kumbh Mela
![]() Crowds bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers
Millions of Hindus from around the world have been arriving in the northern Indian city of Allahabad to take part in the "Kumbh Mela" or Pitcher festival which takes place once every 12 years and is the most important spiritual event in the Hindu calender.
The festival approaches its climax-the holiest day for Hindus to converge on Allahabad and bathe in the River Ganges. One British couple-the Sharmas-describe their experiences of the event.
Up to eight million Hindus take a purifying plunge in the icy Ganges in one of the high points of the great Kumbh Mela festival.
The government estimates that up to 70 million people will be bathing in the holy waters over the next six weeks to cleanse themselves spiritually and to worship at the sacred site.
Saroj Thapar also hopes to be at the festival which will be her seventh Kumbh Mela. She explains the appeal of the event.
|
![]() |
Top South Asia stories now:
![]() ![]() Links to more South Asia stories are at the foot of the page.
![]() |
![]() |
Links to more South Asia stories
|
![]() |
![]() |
^^ Back to top News Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Entertainment | Talking Point | In Depth | AudioVideo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To BBC Sport>> | To BBC Weather>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |