Naga sadhus (Hindu holy men and women) take pictures after taking a dip in the waters of the Ganges during Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Photograph: Karma Sonam/APDevotees gather for evening prayer on the banks of the Ganges during Kumbh Mela, 13 April. Two days later, Modi backtracked and called for the Kumbh Mela to be “symbolic”, but it was too late. The true toll of the Kumbh Mela will never be known, due in part to an alleged effort to stop collecting data. Swami Harigiri, the head of the ashram, said it was a conspiracy against Hindus to call Kumbh Mela a superspreader event.

Source: The Guardian May 30, 2021 00:00 UTC