In India, Hindus are holding a major festival, the Kumbh Mela or Urn Festival.
Hindus celebrate Kumbh Mela four times every twelve years. The dates of the festival change based on the position of the sun, the moon, and Jupiter.
During the Kumbh Mela in January or February, Hindus bathe in the Ganges River to wash away sins. The best day for bathing this year is Jan. 19.
PHOTO: AP
Other activities at the festival include singing, religious discussions, and giving food to the poor and to holy men and women.
The Kumbh Mela is one of the largest gatherings in the world. In 2003, around 70 million people took part.
What is this festival all about? The traditional story is that gods and demons once fought for twelve years over a pot of amrita, a drink of immortality.
Four drops fell out of the pot, and Kumbh Mela is held at the four places where the drops fell.
(Jason Cox, Staff Writer)
印度的印度教徒正慶祝一個重大節日
︰「苦米拉節」或「印度大壺節」。
印度教徒每十二年慶祝四次苦米拉節
，每次的日期都因太陽、月亮和木星位置的不同有所變更。
苦米拉節期間，印度教徒會沐浴在恆河中洗滌罪孽。今年最佳洗滌日期是一月十九日。
節慶上其他的活動項目包括唱歌、宗教研討會以及分享食物給窮人和聖者。
苦米拉節是全世界最大型的聚會，
二○○三年大約有七千萬人共襄盛舉。
此節日的由來為何？傳說是眾神和惡魔曾為了一壺有不老之泉爭戰十二年。
其中四滴不老之泉濺出壺外，苦米拉節就是在四處玉液掉落之地舉行。
（翻譯︰鄭湘儀）
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