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| A man prays while bathing in the Ganges |
The Magh Mela is an annual festival held at the meeting of three sacred rivers, or Allahabad. Two of them are physical, the Ganges River and the Yamuna River, and one is an invisible, heavenly river called the Saraswati River. According to Hindu legend, this convergence is where Brahma preformed the first fire sacrifice. In the months of January and February, this place is especially sacred. Each year during this time, thousands of pilgrims travel to Allahabad to wash away their sins and increases their chances at escaping samsara. Allahabad is also thought to be one of the four holy sites where a few drops of immortal nectar fell to Earth. This “accident” occurred when the gods and demons were fighting over a jar filled with the nectar and a few drops spilled down to Earth. This sight is one of the few connections Hindus have to the heavenly realms. Sites like the Allahabad give Hindus both reassurance, due to the masses of people, and a spiritual connection to the gods.
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