This sacred ritual, known as Kumbh Mela, dates back to the first millennium CE and represents the largest public gathering in the world. At the most recent observance in 2013, an estimated 30 million ...

ash is therefore a prevalent symbol at the Kumbh Mela. Celebrate Mother Ganga, the giver of life, in a Hindu ceremony that takes place every night in Varanasi called aarti. "It's the land of ...