Naga Sadhus, or Hindu holy men, take a dip in the Ganges river during the first Shahi Snan at "Kumbh Mela", or the Pitcher Festival, in Haridwar, India, March 11, 2021. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis
HARIDWAR, India (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Hindu devotees plunged into India's Ganges river on Thursday as the country kicked off one of the world's largest religious festivals, even as officials reported the biggest spike in coronavirus cases for three months.
Hindu ascetics known as Naga sadhus, many naked apart from a coating of ash and carrying swords or tridents, led the bathers at the Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival, in the northern town of Haridwar.
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