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Hinduism - What Is The Magh Mela Festival?

 


Magh Mela is a festival in India.

In the city of Allahabad, a religious festival is held every year during the lunar month of Magh (January–February).

Magh is one of the months in the Hindu festival calendar when bathing (snana) in holy rivers is highly valued.

This is especially noteworthy since Allahabad is located at the confluence of two holy rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna.

Pilgrims put up an encampment near the confluence during this month, which turns into a vibrant religious center.

Pilgrims follow a stringent and disciplined religious life throughout their stay.

A morning bath, followed by gift-giving (dana) and prayer; a limited diet; and nights spent singing hymns (kirtan) and listening to religious talks are all part of the routine.

Some pilgrims even take a stringent kalpavas vow to stay for the whole month, which includes a strict austere lifestyle.

This celebration attracts around a million pilgrims.

Attendance grows every twelfth year, when the Magh Mela becomes the Allahabad Kumbha Mela.

In 1989, an estimated fifteen million pilgrims visited on just one day, with millions more arriving throughout the month.


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