Seventy lakh devotees participated in Haridwar's Kumbh Mela, the mammoth religious congregation which ended Friday after triggering a scare that it might have acted as a coronavirus "super-spreader".
Kumbh ends: 70 lakh participated in ‘scaled down’ mela held amid virus surge
Held over three months in normal circumstances, the Kumbh Mela this time formally begun as late as April 1 due to concerns over COVID-19.
By PTI| Posted by Nikita Venkatesh | Published: 30th April 2021 8:43 pm IST Seers taking a dip in River Ganges as a part of last royal bath. (PTI photo)
Dehradun: Seventy lakh devotees participated in Haridwar’s Kumbh Mela, the mammoth religious congregation which ended Friday after triggering a scare that it might have acted as a COVID-19 super-spreader .
Despite the huge number of people gathering around Haridwar to take a dip in the holy Ganga, the 2021 event was a comparatively modest event reduced to just one month and scaled down midway due to the raging pandemic.
Kumbh ends: 70 lakh participated in scaled down mela held amid virus surge newindianexpress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newindianexpress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Around 35 lakh people gathered around the river Ganga to take the holy dip (Shahi Snan). It is believed that this dip in the holy water of Ganga will acquit
Updated Apr 13, 2021 · 01:07 pm Crowds of Hindu holy men take a dip in the Ganges river on Monday, as India is in the midst of a second wave of the coronavirus. | AFP/Money Sharma
At least 102 devotees have tested positive for the coronavirus at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar,
The Indian Express reported on Tuesday. Several lakhs of devotees are visiting the Kumbh Mela each day but only a few are being tested and other basic Covid-19 related protocols such as wearing masks, thermal screening, and checking negative test reports have been ignored.
On Monday, over 28 lakh devotees turned up to take a dip in the Ganges. However, only 18,169 of the pilgrims were tested between 11.30 pm on Sunday and 5 pm on Monday, according to the report.