Editing Ganges (section)

===Kumbh Mela===
[[File:Kumbh Mela2001.JPG|thumb|A procession of [[Akhara]]s marching over a makeshift bridge over the Ganges River. Kumbh Mela at [[Prayagraj]], 2001.]]
{{main|Kumbh Mela}}
Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu [[pilgrimage]] in which Hindus gather at the Ganges River. The normal Kumbh [[Mela]] is celebrated every 3 years, the ''Ardh'' (half) Kumbh is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and [[Prayagraj]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,828666,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025060100/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,828666,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 October 2007 |title=The Urn Festival |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=8 February 1960 |access-date=10 May 2013}} {{subscription required}}</ref> the ''Purna'' (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years<ref name=hydro/> at four places ([[Triveni Sangam]] (Prayagraj), Haridwar, [[Ujjain]], and [[Nashik]]). The ''Maha'' (great) Kumbh Mela which comes after 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas', or 144 years, is held at Prayagraj.<ref name=hydro>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JI65-MygMm0C&pg=PA165 |title=The Basis of Civilization: Water Science? |publisher= International Association of Hydrological Science |page=165 |isbn= 978-1901502572 |year=2004 |editor=J. C. Rodda |editor2=Lucio Ubertini}}</ref>

The major event of the festival is [[Ritual purification|ritual bathing]] at the banks of the river. Other activities include religious discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and women and the poor, and religious assemblies where doctrines are debated and standardized. Kumbh Mela is the most sacred of all the pilgrimages.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-UwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA25 | magazine=[[Life (magazine)|Life]] | title=A Million Hindus Wash Away Their Sins | date=1 May 1950 | volume=18 | pages=25–29 | access-date=27 October 2020 | archive-date=28 March 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328172555/https://books.google.com/books?id=-UwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA25#v=onepage&q&f=false | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.guardian.co.tt/columnist/2012-10-25/kumbh-mela-most-sacred-hindu-pilgrimages | title=Kumbh Mela, most sacred of Hindu pilgrimages | work=The Guardian | date=25 October 2012 | access-date=10 May 2013 | author=Maharaj | archive-date=8 August 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808035132/http://www.guardian.co.tt/columnist/2012-10-25/kumbh-mela-most-sacred-hindu-pilgrimages | url-status=live }}</ref> Thousands of holy men and women attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this. The [[sadhu]]s are seen clad in saffron sheets with ashes and powder dabbed on their skin per the requirements of ancient traditions. Some called ''[[Dashanami Sampradaya#Naga Sadhus|naga sanyasis]]'', may not wear any clothes.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/The-17-shringars-of-Naga-sadhus/articleshow/18421671.cms | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130222063810/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-09/allahabad/37007389_1_naga-sadhu-shringar-shahi-snan | url-status=live | archive-date=22 February 2013 | title=The 17 'shringars' of Naga sadhus | work=[[The Times of India]] |location = Allahabad | date=9 February 2013 | access-date=10 May 2013 | author=Mani, Rajiv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSWDL6AMKrc| title = Kumbha Mela Video: Amazing and Magical Celebration of Life| website = [[YouTube]]| date = 27 March 2021| access-date = 2 June 2021| archive-date = 10 August 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220810040847/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSWDL6AMKrc| url-status = live}}</ref>