In India, launch of the giant Hindu pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela

Pilgrims emerge from the water, after a sacred bath in Sangam, at the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Sarasvati, on the occasion of the great Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela, in Prayagraj, India, January 13 . ADNAN ABIDI / REUTERS The mass ritual baths began on Monday, January 13, in Prayagraj, a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, for the great Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela where are expected some 400 million people. Even before the first light of day, the first clusters of pilgrims plunged into the cold waters of the confluence of the sacred rivers of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Sarasvati to, as required by Hindu tradition, wash away their sins. Organized every twelve years, this meeting, which runs until February 26, promises to be one for all records this year. The last religious celebrations held at the same location in 2019 brought together 240 million faithful, according to the government. For comparison, the great annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, only brought together 1.8 million faithful in 2024. Also read the investigation (in 2020): Article reserved for our subscribers Uttar Pradesh, laboratory of Hindu extremism Read later “The eternal spiritual heritage of India” Hindu nationalist Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at power since 2014, welcomed the start of the ceremonies. “The Kumbh Mela 2025 (…) brings together an incalculable mass of people in a sacred confluence of faith, devotion and culture” and embodies “the eternal spiritual heritage of India”, he welcomed in a message published on his account thin affair. Organizers have installed 150,000 toilets, 68,000 street lights and a tent city that covers an area equivalent to two-thirds of the New York peninsula of Manhattan. A compact crowd of pilgrims from all over India and beyond took up residence there over the weekend. Elephant processions Bathers began to flock along the banks of the rivers on Sunday, to the sound of drums and in the middle of processions of elephants and tractors loaded with statues of Hindu gods and goddesses. In the middle of the crowd, the monks entirely adorned in orange – the color of Hinduism – and the ascetics with their bodies blackened with ashes distributed blessings with all their might. As for the most impatient devotees, they did not wait for the official start of the festivities to immerse themselves. In addition to washing away sins, baths taken at the confluence of sacred rivers during the Kumbh Mela also allow one to free oneself from the cycle of rebirth and reincarnation. Le Monde Mémorable Test your general knowledge with the editorial staff of “Le Monde” Test your general knowledge with the editorial staff of “Le Monde” Discover The Indian police have deployed large numbers of troops to ensure, according to a spokesperson, “maximum security” for pilgrims for six weeks. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers In India, the thesis of an Aryan ancestry of Hindus is wavering Read later Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content



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