VOA标准英语2010-Millions of Hindus Take Holy Dip in River

A Hindu holy man, waves the Indian national flag as he takes a holy dip in the River Ganges, holy to Hindus, during the main Royal Bath at the Kumbh Mela festival in Haridwar, India, 14 Apr 2010

In the northern Indian town, Haridwar, millions of Hindu devotees have taken a ritual bath in the Ganges River on the last of four auspicious¹ days during a three-month religious festival.  The festival, billed as the world's biggest religious gathering², has attracted more than 40 million pilgrims since it began in mid³ January.

 

The bathing ritual marked the climax⁴ of the three-month Hindu festival known as the Kumbh Mela.  Wednesday was the last of four days which are considered to be particularly auspicious for the dip in the river which Hindus regard as sacred.

Organizers estimate that more than eight million people took a dip on Wednesday, along a 15 kilometer stretch of the river.  The first to participate in the ritual were hundreds of Hindu holy men called "naga sadhus."  The naked, ash-smeared ascetics⁵ live and meditate⁶ in seclusion⁷ in forests and mountains and only emerge to take part in the Kumbh festival. Dozens of foreigners also took part in the ritual.

Hindus believe the ritual bath in the Ganges cleanses⁸ them of sin and frees them from the cycle of birth of rebirth. 

The Kumbh Mela attracts staggering numbers.  Organizers say as many as 40 million people have streamed into temple-dotted Haridwar since mid January when the festival began.  It concludes later this month.

The festival's chief organizing officer, Anand Bardhan, outlines the logistics of housing the devotees in pilgrim encampments. 

"It is just very massive planning and massive execution, which includes security forces, security arrangements, the sanitation⁹, the medical facilities, the water supply, the power supply etc," said Barhan.

Just before the start of Wednesday's bathing ritual, two people were killed when they were hit by a car carrying Hindu holy men.

On top of the agenda for organizers is preventing stampedes. There have been previous mishaps¹⁰ at previous festivals.  Dozens of people were crushed to death in a stampede 2003.

The Kumbh Mela is held every three years and commemorates¹¹ a mythical¹² battle between the gods and demons¹³ about a pitcher¹⁴ containing the nectar of immortality¹⁵.  Four drops are said to have fallen on four different Indian towns and the festival rotates between these towns.

It has been described as a spectacle of devotion unparalleled for its sheer scale and color.

 

1 auspicious   

adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的

参考例句：

• The publication of my first book was an auspicious beginning of my career.我的第一本书的出版是我事业吉祥的开始。
• With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail.风和日丽，正是扬帆出海的黄道吉日。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

4 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

5 ascetics   

n.苦行者，禁欲者，禁欲主义者( ascetic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• How does Paul's teaching differ from that of the ascetics about celibacy? 关于独身，保罗的教导与禁欲主义的教导有什麽分别？ 来自互联网
• Nevertheless, it is known that Hindu ascetics occasionally visited Greece. 然而，众所周知，印度的苦行僧偶然会拜访希腊。 来自互联网

6 meditate   

v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想

参考例句：

• It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。
• I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

7 seclusion   

n.隐遁，隔离

参考例句：

• She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。
• I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。

8 cleanses   

弄干净，清洗( cleanse的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Prayer cleanses the soul, but pain cleanses the body. 祈祷净化灵魂，而痛苦则净化身体。
• With water and iodine from the closet, he cleanses my lip. 用温水和碘从壁橱里，他洗净我的嘴唇。

9 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

10 mishaps   

n.轻微的事故，小的意外( mishap的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a series of mishaps 一连串的倒霉事
• In spite of one or two minor mishaps everything was going swimmingly. 尽管遇到了一两件小小的不幸，一切都进行得很顺利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 commemorates   

n.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的名词复数 )v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A tombstone is erected in memory of whoever it commemorates. 墓碑是为纪念它所纪念的人而建的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A tablet commemorates his patriotic activities. 碑文铭记他的爱国行动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 mythical   

adj.神话的；虚构的；想像的

参考例句：

• Undeniably,he is a man of mythical status.不可否认，他是一个神话般的人物。
• Their wealth is merely mythical.他们的财富完全是虚构的。

13 demons   

n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念

参考例句：

• demons torturing the sinners in Hell 地狱里折磨罪人的魔鬼
• He is plagued by demons which go back to his traumatic childhood. 他为心魔所困扰，那可追溯至他饱受创伤的童年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 pitcher   

n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手

参考例句：

• He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
• Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

15 immortality   

n.不死，不朽

参考例句：

• belief in the immortality of the soul 灵魂不灭的信念
• It was like having immortality while you were still alive. 仿佛是当你仍然活着的时候就得到了永生。