Millions Wash Away Sins in India Festival

A L L A H A B A D, India, Jan. 9 -- Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrimsplunged into the icy waters of the Ganges River before dawntoday, hoping to wash away their sins during a religious festivalthat occurs once every 12 years.

The Kumbh Mela is believed to be one of the largest religiousgatherings in the world. It is expected to draw up to 65 millionpeople before it ends Feb. 21.

The Times of India said pop diva Madonna and Hollywoodstars Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Richard Gerecould join what is billed as the world’s largest spiritual gathering.

In the 2 a.m. darkness, with temperatures dipping to 3 degreesCelsius (38 Fahrenheit), devotees folded their hands in prayer.They daubed ash or sandalwood paste on their foreheads, handedmoney or food to beggars waiting on the shore, and rushed into thefrigid water.

“This has become a family ritual and tradition,” said95-year-old Malti Agarwal, who came from the eastern city ofCalcutta with her family of 40. “We do it at every Kumbhfestival.”

Devotees continued to surge toward the waters after dawn broketoday. Officials said nearly 2 million people were estimated tohave bathed in the first six hours. The festival administrator,Jivesh Nandan, said he expected 4.2 million to bathe in the riverby the day’s end.

Washing Away Sins

The 43-day festival takes its name of Kumbh Mela from Hindumythology when the gods seized a pot of nectar that made theminvincible in their war against the demons.

One of the gods made off with the pot, spilling drops on 12spots, four of them in India and the rest in the heavens. One dropis said to have fallen where the Ganges joins the Yamuna River andthe mythical Saraswati River.

Hindus believe that bathing at the confluence of three sacredrivers on an auspicious day will absolve them of sin and speed themto nirvana after death.

“Most of the people think that the sins we have created arewashed away here,” said Mohan Sharma, as she stood in the coldwater, fully clothed in a bright sari.