Top seer dies of Covid-19, 80 others test positive after attending Kumbh Mela
We had around 2,000 positive cases since Monday during random testing of pilgrims at the Kumbh, an official said
Friday April 16, 2021 6:27 PM, ummid.com with inputs from Agencies
New Delhi: A seer has died from COVID-19 and 80 other holy men have tested positive after attending Kumbh Mela - a vast religious festival in Haridwar where millions of pilgrims have been ignoring Covid-19 advice despite a national surge in infections.
The announcement from authorities in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, came as India recorded
The festival of Kumbh Mela has long rung alarm bells among health experts who say it could turn into a super-spreader as pilgrims return home to their towns and villages all across India.
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By Jessie Yeung, Esha Mitra and Manveena Suri, CNN
Updated 4:26 AM ET, Thu April 1, 2021
Hindu devotees attend evening prayers during Kumbh Mela in Haridwar on March 11.
New Delhi (CNN)Massive crowds of Hindus began arriving in the northern Indian city of Haridwar on Thursday for the largest religious pilgrimage on Earth, even as experts warned it could cause a surge in Covid-19 cases as the country grapples with a second wave.
The months-long Kumbh Mela festival, one of the most important Hindu celebrations, typically takes place every 12 years and draws tens of millions of pilgrims to four rotating sites.
This year, it takes place in Haridwar, in the foothills of the outer Himalayas in Uttarakhand state, where devotees attend prayers, and wash their sins away in the sacred waters of the Ganges River. According to some myths associated with the festival, the river water turns into amrita, or the nectar of immortality, on particular days.
Mass religious festival goes ahead in India despite coronavirus fears April 01, 2021
Massive crowds of Hindus began arriving in the northern Indian city of Haridwar on Thursday for the largest religious pilgrimage on Earth, even as experts warned it could cause a surge in COVID-19 cases as the country grapples with a second wave. Courtesy file photo
NEW DELHI Massive crowds of Hindus began arriving in the northern Indian city of Haridwar on Thursday for the largest religious pilgrimage on Earth, even as experts warned it could cause a surge in COVID-19 cases as the country grapples with a second wave.