Millions gather to 'purify souls' in Hindu bathing ritual

Many Indians believe that holy men like Swami possess mystical powers and are capable of curing all manner of illnesses.

Allahabad (India) (AFP) - Millions of Hindu devotees are gathering in northern India for the Magh Mela -- one of the world's biggest religious festivals involving ritual bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges river.

An estimated 10 million Hindus descend on the city of Allahabad every January for the festival staged at the sacred meeting point of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers.