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Ardh Kumbh mela pilgrims #1. Allahabad, India

Here is the first image of a series i made about Hindu pilgrims during the Ardh Kumbh mela in Allahabad, Januray 2007.

 

During the one month long festival that occurs every six years at the confluence of the Holy Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, millions of Hindu pilgrims travel to Allahabad from all over India to bathe in the freezing waters on most auspicious days carefully pinpointed by astrologers, according to the lunar calendar. The pilgrims also come to see the sâdhus, holy men of Hinduism, since the Kumbh mela is the only event during which all the different sects of ascetics are gathered. Here, a child with his face covered in ashes, after he and his family received darshan (blessing) from a naga sâdhu.

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Uploaded on July 31, 2007
Taken on July 31, 2007