It was the height second at one of many holiest gatherings on the Hindu calendar — the Maha Kumbh Mela, a 45-day celebration that brings tons of of thousands and thousands of the devoted to wash within the joined Ganges and Yamuna rivers, washing away their sins.
Anticipating file attendance, Indian officers mentioned they had been using new expertise to assist regulate the crowds at this yr’s pilgrimage. However nothing was able to maintaining with the frenzy as Tuesday turned to Wednesday, when an estimated 100 million got here to the waters over only a handful of hours after which all of a sudden dashed to go away in a lethal panic.