Getting ready after the bath at a home in the village.
Villages in rural India in the state of Maharashtra.
Young children bathing and having fun in an open water body in rural Maharashtra.
Young children bathing and having fun in an open water body in rural Maharashtra.
You children bathing and having fun in an open water body in rural Maharashtra.
Women taking taking a ceremonial bath at Tirta Empul - The Holy Springs

Located in Tampak Siring is the Temple Tirta Empul where its pond is believed to cure sickness. Tirta empul means water that comes from the earth naturally. And until this day Balinese still believe the miraculous healing powers of the water and therefore bath in it. According to Usana Bali, an ancient Balinese manuscript, there was once an evil king named Maya Denawa who did not believe in god, and objected to the people worshipping gods. The gods sent a punishment in the form of the warriors of Bhatara Indra, who arrived to attack Maya Denawa and overthrow him. However, Maya Denawa poisoned the warriors and they lay dead. Seeing this, the Hindu God Indra pierced the earth to create a spring called Amerta. When the water was sprinkled over the dead warriors, they became alive again. This water source is believed to be Tirta Empul - the source of life and prosperity to this day. The temple inscriptions mention that Tirta Empul was constructed in 960 AD, when the king Chandrabhaya Singha Warmadewa ordered its construction. During a festival or ceremony you can see many people bathing in the ponds that has seven pancuran. It is believed that the sacred spring water not only can cure sickness but can also purify sins.
Naga sadhus (naked monks) jump into the river ganga with frenzy. As per tradition, the Naga sadhu's have the first right of bathing in the holy Ganga on the occasion of Kumbh Mela.


Kumbh Mela is the biggest religious gatherings on the planet which takes places on the banks of the river Ganga. The number of pilgrims this year is expected to exceed around five million since the first day Jan 14 till the time it concludes on April 28, 2010. The auspicious days of the shahi snan or royal baths usually draw hundreds of thousands of devotees to the Har Ki Paudi and other banks of the river. Uttarakhand. North India. The occasion draws pilgrims from around the world and severly overloads the infrastructure so most of the city is shut down for any vehicles other than security or emergency services so a sea of humanity walks through the city to get to the bathing ghats.
Panoramic view of the thousands taking a holy bath in the river Ganga at Hari Ki Pauri, Haridwar.

Kumbh Mela is the biggest religious gatherings on the planet which takes places on the banks of the river Ganga. The number of pilgrims this year is expected to exceed around five million since the first day Jan 14 till the time it concludes on April 28, 2010. The auspicious days of the shahi snan or royal baths usually draw hundreds of thousands of devotees to the Har Ki Paudi and other banks of the river. Uttarakhand. North India. The occasion draws pilgrims from around the world and severly overloads the infrastructure so most of the city is shut down for any vehicles other than security or emergency services so a sea of humanity walks through the city to get to the bathing ghats.
Panoramic view of Haridwar in Apr'10 on the occasion of Kumb Mela.

Kumbh Mela is the biggest religious gatherings on the planet which takes places on the banks of the river Ganga. The number of pilgrims this year is expected to exceed around five million since the first day Jan 14 till the time it concludes on April 28, 2010. The auspicious days of the shahi snan or royal baths usually draw hundreds of thousands of devotees to the Har Ki Paudi and other banks of the river. Uttarakhand. North India. The occasion draws pilgrims from around the world and severly overloads the infrastructure so most of the city is shut down for any vehicles other than security or emergency services so a sea of humanity walks through the city to get to the bathing ghats.
Panoramic night view of Haridwar at the time of Kumbh Mela in April, 2010.

Kumbh Mela is the biggest religious gatherings on the planet which takes places on the banks of the river Ganga. The number of pilgrims this year is expected to exceed around five million since the first day Jan 14 till the time it concludes on April 28, 2010. The auspicious days of the shahi snan or royal baths usually draw hundreds of thousands of devotees to the Har Ki Paudi and other banks of the river. Uttarakhand. North India. The occasion draws pilgrims from around the world and severly overloads the infrastructure so most of the city is shut down for any vehicles other than security or emergency services so a sea of humanity walks through the city to get to the bathing ghats.
Getting ready after the bath at a home in the village.
Villages in rural India in the state of Maharashtra.
Getting ready after the bath at a home in the village.
Villages in rural India in the state of Maharashtra.
Getting ready after the bath at a home in the village.
Villages in rural India in the state of Maharashtra.
See photo in original gallery.

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