ALLAHABAD, India (AP) — Millions of devout Hindus have plunged into the frigid waters of the holy Ganges River in India in a religious ritual they believe will wash away their sins.
Sunday is one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh Mela, or Pitcher Festival, that lasts 55 days and is one of the world's largest religious gatherings.
By the end of the day as many as 30 million are expected to have taken a dip at the place where the Ganges meets the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers at the edge of Allahabad in North India.
There are six auspicious bathing days, decided by the alignment of stars, when the Hindu devout bathe to wash away their sins and free themselves from the cycle of death and rebirth.