ALLAHABAD, India (Reuters) - Nearly half a million Hindus braved near-freezing temperatures to wash away their sins in the icy waters of the Ganges river in northern India on Wednesday, the first day ...

STORY: Devotees took a holy bath in the sacred river and worshipped Goddess 'Ganga', as they wished for the prosperity and welfare of humankind. The festival commemorates the descent of the river on ...

Hundreds of millions of Hindu devotees have bathed in sacred waters, despite concerns over overcrowding and water pollution, as the world’s largest religious gathering wrapped up Wednesday in India’s ...

Aerial images of Hindu holy men and devotees taking a ceremonial dip in Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, for Shahi Snan or "royal bath" as part of the Kumbh ...

Though officially abolished decades ago, the caste system still profoundly influences life in India. Those born into high castes enjoy greater privileges, while low-caste individuals, like the Doms, ...

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 ...