More than half a million men, women, and children today braved chilly winds to bathe in the icy waters of the Ganges River in the holy Himalayan town of Haridwar at the "Kumbh Mels" or Pitcher Festival, held every 12 years in different Indian cities.
Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges during the almost four-month-long festival cleanses them of their sins, speeding the way to the attainment of nirvana -- a state of absolute blessedness.
In the state of West Bengal, six women were among seven people killed in a stampede, as thousands bathed at the confluence of Ganges River and the Bay of Bengal, the Reuters website reports today.
More than 50 million people from India and abroad are expected to visit the holy city of Haridwar over the next few months, authorities said.
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