ガンジス川で数十万人が沐浴　インド

【ハリドワールＡＦＰ＝時事】インド北部ウッタラカンド州ハリドワールで11日、新型コロナウイルスの脅威は意に介さず、数十万人のヒンズー教巡礼者がガンジス川に押し寄せ、沐浴（もくよく）をした。（写真はインド北部ウッタラカンド州ハリドワールのガンジス川で沐浴するヒンズー教の巡礼者ら）
　１１日は、ヒンズー教の大祭「クンブメーラ」の、縁起がいい沐浴日の一つ「マハ・シバラトリ」に当たっている。ハリドワール当局によると、２５０万人の人出が見込まれるという。
　ヒマラヤ山脈の麓にある聖地ハリドワールのガンジス川の岸辺は夜明け前、沐浴の場所を確保しようと老若男女が、数キロにわたりひしめき合っていた。巡礼者らは流れの速い川に身を沈めると祝詞を唱え、花を散らした。
　体に灰を塗りつけた全裸の聖人、ナガ・サドゥー数百人が現れると、沐浴は最高潮に達した。
　新型コロナの影響で、インド政府は複数の都市で定期的に開催されるクンブメーラの規模を縮小している他、巡礼者には新型コロナの陰性証明書を取得するよう求めている。
　ハリドワール当局は、マスク着用とソーシャル・ディスタンシング（対人距離の確保）を呼び掛けており、数百人のボランティアが巡礼者らに消毒液をかけている。
　だが、インドではここ数か月、新型コロナの感染者が急減し、日常生活がほぼ戻ってきている。このため、実際にはマスクをしている人はごくまれだ。
　巡礼者のニテーシュ・クマールさん（３１）はＡＦＰに対し「新型コロナの流行は恐れていないし、みんな自由に動き回っている。インドはすでに新型コロナに打ち勝った。何も心配すべきことはない」と語った。
　インドの累計感染者数は１１００万人を超え、世界で２番目に多い。死者は１６万人近くに上っている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/03/12-12:55）

Naked, dreadlocked holymen were among hundred of thousands of jubilant Hindu pilgrims who thronged the banks of India's Ganges river on Thursday, ignoring any coronavirus threat, for one of the nation's most famous and colourful religious festivals.
Authorities in Haridwar expect 2.5 million people for the Maha Shivratri festival, one of three auspicious bathing days over the next month as part of a major gathering called the Kumbh Mela.
Before dawn men, women and children jostled for space along the several miles of riverbank before a brief plunge in the fast-flowing water, singing hymns and showering flowers into the Ganges.
The highlight later was set to be a jubilant procession by groups of hundreds of Naga Sadhus ?- naked holy men with long dreadlocks, their bodies smeared in ash -- before their dip in the holy town in the Himalayan foothills.
Because of the pandemic the government has curtailed the Kumbh Mela, a mass event held regularly in different cities, and negative test certificates are in theory compulsory.
Announcements on the public address system in Haridwar blared out reminders to wear masks and maintain distancing as hundreds of volunteers sprayed sanitiser on the pilgrims.
But with coronavirus cases having fallen sharply in recent months and many aspects of life back to normal in the country of 1.3 billion people, in reality masks are few and far between.
There is no fear of the pandemic and people are moving freely. India has already defeated the disease and there's nothing to worry about, pilgrim Nitesh Kumar, 31, told AFP.
I have been waiting for this day for years but because of the pandemic I thought it will be cancelled. But our belief is stronger than the pandemic, said Rishab, another pilgrim.
India has recorded more than 11 million coronavirus infections, the world's second highest toll, and almost 160,000 deaths.
On Thursday the country recorded almost 23,000 infections, down sharply from a peak of almost 100,000 in September but more than double the rates seen in January.
Cases are rising again in several regions, especially in the western state of Maharashtra and its capital Mumbai where authorities have reimposed restrictions.
Hindus believe bathing in the Ganges will cleanse their sins and bring salvation.
According to Hindu mythology, gods and demons fought a war over a sacred pitcher containing the nectar of immortality. Drops fell at four different locations, which now alternate as hosts for the immense Kumbh Mela gatherings.
Recognised as an example of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2017, the last Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in 2019 attracted around 55 million people over 48 days.