Record 120 million wash away sins as India festival ends
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Indian Sant Asaram Bapu (second left) plays Holi with his followers during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad on March 9, 2013. A record number of 120 million pilgrims have cleansed off their sins after taking a dip in an Indian river during the two-month-long Kumbh Mela festival that draws to an end on March 10. AFP PHOTO/ SANJAY KANOJIA
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Devotees raise their hands to receive coloured holy water from a priest on the banks of the river Ganges at the ongoing "Kumbh Mela" or Pitcher Festival, in the northern Indian city of Allahabad March 9, 2013. During the festival, Hindus take part in a religious gathering on the banks of the river Ganges. The festival is held every 12 years in a temporary city covering an area larger than Athens, spread over a wide sandy river bank in Allahabad at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet a third mythical river. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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Devotees raise their hands to receive coloured holy water from a priest on the banks of the river Ganges at the ongoing "Kumbh Mela" or Pitcher Festival, in the northern Indian city of Allahabad March 9, 2013. During the festival, Hindus take part in a religious gathering on the banks of the river Ganges. The festival is held every 12 years in a temporary city covering an area larger than Athens, spread over a wide sandy river bank in Allahabad at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet a third mythical river. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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Devotees raise their hands to receive coloured holy water from a priest on the banks of the river Ganges at the ongoing "Kumbh Mela" or Pitcher Festival, in the northern Indian city of Allahabad March 9, 2013. During the festival, Hindus take part in a religious gathering on the banks of the river Ganges. The festival is held every 12 years in a temporary city covering an area larger than Athens, spread over a wide sandy river bank in Allahabad at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet a third mythical river. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
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Indian Sant Asaram Bapu (unseen) plays Holi with his followers during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad on March 9, 2013. A record number of 120 million pilgrims have cleansed off their sins after taking a dip in an Indian river during the two-month-long Kumbh Mela festival that draws to an end on March 10. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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A Bihari Hindu priest, smeared with coloured powder, looks on after the completion of a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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An Indian child, dressed as Hindu god Lord Shiva, plays with sand on the banks of the Sangam in Allahabad on March 5, 2013. The Sangam is a holy bathing site during The Kumbh Mela, which runs from January till March, and takes place every 12 years in Allahabad while smaller events are held every three years in other locations around India. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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Bihari Hindu priests perform a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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Bihari Hindu priests prepare to return home after performing rituals at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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Bihari Hindu priests run while holding their ears as they perform a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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Bihari Hindu priests smear coloured powder on each other after the completion of a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
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Bihari Hindu priests smear coloured powder on each other after the completion of a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
Indian Sant Asaram Bapu (second left) plays Holi with his followers during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad on March 9, 2013. A record number of 120 million pilgrims have cleansed off their sins after taking a dip in an Indian river during the two-month-long Kumbh Mela festival that draws to an end on March 10. AFP PHOTO/ SANJAY KANOJIA
Devotees raise their hands to receive coloured holy water from a priest on the banks of the river Ganges at the ongoing "Kumbh Mela" or Pitcher Festival, in the northern Indian city of Allahabad March 9, 2013. During the festival, Hindus take part in a religious gathering on the banks of the river Ganges. The festival is held every 12 years in a temporary city covering an area larger than Athens, spread over a wide sandy river bank in Allahabad at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet a third mythical river. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Devotees raise their hands to receive coloured holy water from a priest on the banks of the river Ganges at the ongoing "Kumbh Mela" or Pitcher Festival, in the northern Indian city of Allahabad March 9, 2013. During the festival, Hindus take part in a religious gathering on the banks of the river Ganges. The festival is held every 12 years in a temporary city covering an area larger than Athens, spread over a wide sandy river bank in Allahabad at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet a third mythical river. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Devotees raise their hands to receive coloured holy water from a priest on the banks of the river Ganges at the ongoing "Kumbh Mela" or Pitcher Festival, in the northern Indian city of Allahabad March 9, 2013. During the festival, Hindus take part in a religious gathering on the banks of the river Ganges. The festival is held every 12 years in a temporary city covering an area larger than Athens, spread over a wide sandy river bank in Allahabad at the point where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet a third mythical river. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS
Indian Sant Asaram Bapu (unseen) plays Holi with his followers during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad on March 9, 2013. A record number of 120 million pilgrims have cleansed off their sins after taking a dip in an Indian river during the two-month-long Kumbh Mela festival that draws to an end on March 10. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
A Bihari Hindu priest, smeared with coloured powder, looks on after the completion of a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
An Indian child, dressed as Hindu god Lord Shiva, plays with sand on the banks of the Sangam in Allahabad on March 5, 2013. The Sangam is a holy bathing site during The Kumbh Mela, which runs from January till March, and takes place every 12 years in Allahabad while smaller events are held every three years in other locations around India. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
Bihari Hindu priests perform a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
Bihari Hindu priests prepare to return home after performing rituals at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
Bihari Hindu priests run while holding their ears as they perform a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
Bihari Hindu priests smear coloured powder on each other after the completion of a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
Bihari Hindu priests smear coloured powder on each other after the completion of a ritual at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati during the Maha Kumbh festival in Allahabad on March 6, 2013. The Kumbh Mela in the town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
ALLAHABAD (AFP) - A record 120 million pilgrims washed away their sins with plunges in an Indian holy river during the world's biggest religious festival set to end on Sunday, officials said.
The two-month-long Kumbh Mela Hindu festival celebrated every 12 years at the conjunction of two sacred rivers on the outskirts of the northern Indian city of Allahabad drew massive crowds of Hindu devotees, ascetics and foreign tourists.
"Over 60 million people attended the festival in 2001 and this time we believe 120 million people have participated," festival chief Mani Prasad Mishra told AFP late on Saturday.
The festival involves crowd management on a jaw-dropping scale and despite all the precautions was hit by tragedy last month when a stampede at a train station in Allahabad killed 36 pilgrims who were returning from the festival.
