Millions of Hindus bathe in Ganges to cleanse sins

ALLAHABAD, India - The Associated Press

AFP Photo

Millions of devout Hindus have plunged into the frigid waters of the holy Ganges River in India in a religious ritual that they believe will wash away their sins.
 
Sunday is one of the most auspicious days of the Kumbh Mela, or Pitcher Festival, which lasts 55 days and is one of the world’s largest religious gatherings.
 
By the end of the day as many as 30 million people 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 northern India.
 
There are six auspicious bathing days, decided by the alignment of stars, when devout Hindus bathe to wash away their sins and free themselves from the cycle of death and rebirth.