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Devotees take holy dip in Ujjain on Ardh Kumbh

          Ujjain: Thousands of devotees took the royal bath in the holy Shipra river in Ujjain early on Monday for the Ardh Kumbh fair. More than 1.5 million devotees are expected to reach the city daily for the month-long festival, held once in six years. Legend has it that Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh is one of the four places where the nectar of immortality fell after spilling out of a pitcher during an epic battle for its possession between gods and demons. Half pitcher festivals are the smaller versions of the festival, and are held every six years in three other towns. Among the faithfuls were people from rare religious sects including seers in saffron robes and naked "sadhus" with ash spread over their bodies. Some 30 million people are expected to take a dip in the holy waters from April 5 to May 4. Hindus believe bathing in the holy river would cleanse them of their sins. For devout Hindus, the Kumbh Mela is an occasion to celebrate tales and beliefs handed down through the generations. "To pray and remember God, to give food to the needy and water to the thirsty, this is what this festival teaches," a holyman said. The Guinness Book of World Records described the last Maha Kumbh Mela in 1999, when around 50 million people attended, as the largest ever gathering of human beings for a single purpose.
- April 5, 2004