NPR's Michael Sullivan reports that millions of pilgrims from all over India bathed in the waters of the Ganges River today, the most important date in the six-week-long Hindu festival known as Kumbh Mela. Naked militant Hindu holy men brandishing swords and spears led the charge well before dawn, followed by warrior priests and then the multitudes of faithful. Hindus believe the ritual dip will wash away their sins and end the cycle of rebirth. Organizers say this year's festival was the largest ever and perhaps the single largest religious gathering in history.
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