Relatively unknown to people outside the Hindu faith, the Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage which takes places four times in every twelve-year cycle in different locations in India. According to Hindu belief, the festival can wash away the sins of devotees and free him or her from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
The event involves colourful scenes of bathing in the sacred Ganges river, and participating in religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the poor, and debating doctrines in religious assemblies.
The next Kumbh Mela takes place in March and April 2010, in Haridwar in the foothills of the Himalayas. Along with the pilgrimage itself, travellers should check out Haridwar's other attractions: the Chandi Devi Temple, the Har Ki Pairi Ghat, the colonial-era Masoori hill station and a number of trekking trails.
Best time to visit India experiences a vast array of climates. See our guide to India's climate for more information.
Things to know In January 2007, the Kumbh Mela lasted around six weeks and reportedly attracted more than 70 million Hindu pilgrims to Allahabad, northern India.
No comments:
Post a Comment