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| Millions have gathered for the Kumbh Mela festival despite a raging pandemic. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] While India struggles from a devastating second wave of the coronavirus this past week, millions of devotees descended on the banks of the Ganges river in the northern city of Haridwar to take a dip in the water, BBC said.
Hindus believe the river is holy and taking a dip in it will cleanse them of their sins and bring salvation. But the government of Uttarakhand state, where Haridwar is located, faces heavy criticism for allowing the Kumbh Mela festival amid a sharply worsening Covid picture. On Thursday, India reported more than 200,000 Covid cases for the first time since the pandemic began. One influential Hindu congregation decided to opt-out of the massive festival. "The Kumbh Mela is over for us," Ravindra Puri, secretary of the Niranjani Akhada or congregation was quoted as saying in local media.
The decision came a day after Swami Kapil Dev, the head of another prominent congregation, died after being diagnosed with Covid-19. It's unclear how many devotees at the Kumbh Mela have tested positive since the first day of bathing on 11 March. But Haridwar's chief medical officer, Dr. SK Jha, said more than 1,600 cases had been confirmed among devotees between 10 and 14 April. India has confirmed more than 14 million cases and 174,000 deaths from the virus so far.
