India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes a dip in the holy waters of Maha Kumbh Mela.
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dip in the holy waters of the northern city of Prayagraj on Wednesday, where the Maha Kumbh Mela, the world's largest gathering, is being held.
This content is part of the text you are currently reading. Provider X (Twitter) provides this content and may collect your usage data directly when you click "Show content". Always show content from X (Twitter). The footage shows Modi entering the waters of the river and saying prayers while priests play Vedic chants over loudspeakers. What is the Maha Kumbh Mela? The festival, which takes place every 12 years in the state of Uttar Pradesh, sees millions of Hindu devotees gather for 45 days at the confluence of the sacred Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers to bathe in the water.
Hindus believe that bathing in the water cleanses their past sins and frees them from the cycle of rebirth, helping them achieve salvation.
According to authorities, about 400 million people are expected to attend this year's event, which ends on February 26.
Indian Hindu saints bathe at the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage
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Modi's visit comes after deadly riots
Modi's visit comes a week after a stampede at a rally left dozens dead. While official figures put the death toll at 30, opposition leaders say the numbers are much higher.
They have accused Modi's federal government and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh of covering up the figures and details of the incident.
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