This is John Kennedy with another Postcard from Abroad from the University of Kansas.
When I think about a holy dip, 7-layer bean dip is the first that comes to my mind…but, in the north Indian city of Allahabad, an estimated 15 million Hindus took their turn taking a holy dip into the spiritually cleansing waters where the Yamuna and Ganges rivers meet. This ritual beginning January 14th is part of a 49-day Hindu festival called Kumbh Mela and will gather together an expected, record-breaking 120 million participants, making it humanity’s largest gathering and the first to be seen from space! The last Kumbh Mela in 2013 saw the inclusion of female ascetics – holy leaders central to the gathering – and at this year’s festival, transgender gurus will bathe for the first time with their fellow Hindus. India is making a splash with this year’s holy and progressive swim.
With thanks to KATIE ASHLEY from the KU Open Language Resource Center for this text, this is John Kennedy. Wish you were here.
