Nearly a miillion Hindu devotees join ritual bath

Devotees, ash-smeared naked "naga sadhus" (Hindu holy men), Hindu saints, and members of the transgender community jostled for a dip in the waters of the river many Hindus consider holy, on a day considered auspicious in the Hindu calendar, with few wearing masks.

Despite making virus tests mandatory for those entering the area, authorities struggled to implement other strict measures to curb COVID-19 transmissions due to the large numbers.