Thousands gather at Hindu festival in India as virus surges

By BISWAJEET BANERJEE
Associated Press

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Tens of thousands of devout Hindus are taking a holy dip into the frigid waters of the Ganges River in northern India despite rising COVID-19 infections in the country. Hindu pilgrims on Friday congregated in Prayagraj city, in Uttar Pradesh state, to take part in the Magh Mela festival, one of the most sacred pilgrimages in Hinduism. Hindus believe a dip in the sacred river will wash away their sins. A similar gathering at a Hindu festival last year in Uttarakhand state helped spread the delta variant that infected millions of people and killed tens of thousands. Coronavirus infections, fueled by the omicron variant, are rising fast through India. The country reported over 264,000 new infections on Friday.