Millions of Hindus seeking absolution of their sins immersed themselves on Monday (Jan13) in freezing waters at the confluence of India’s sacred rivers on the first day of a six-week festival that is said to be the world's largest religious gathering.
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Millions of Hindus seeking absolution of their sins immerse themselves on Monday in freezing
00:13waters at the confluence of India's sacred rivers on the first day of a six-week festival
00:19that is said to be the world's largest religious gathering.
00:23Held every 12 years, the Mahakumbh Mela, or Great Pitcher Festival, as the religious event
00:30in the city of Prayagraj in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, attracts more than 400 million
00:36visitors, both Indians and tourists.
00:39This year marks the completion of 12 Mahakumbh Mela cycles, which happens after 144 years.
00:46This time, it is also happening during a rare celestial alignment of planets and stars that
00:52occurs once in 144 years.
00:55Devotees offered prayers and took holy dips at the Sangam, the confluence of India's holy
01:01rivers, Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.
01:05Hindus believe that bathing in these sacred waters absolves people of sins and that during
01:11the Kumbh Mela, it also grants salvation from the cycle of life and death.
01:22The Kumbh originates in a Hindu tradition that the god Vishnu, known as the Preserver,
01:29rested away from demons a golden pitcher that held the nectar of immortality.
01:59For more information visit www.osho.com