The WSJ's Photo Journal published this photograph of Hindu devotees offering prayers on Mauni Amavasya, or new moon day, the third and the most auspicious date of bathing during the annual month long Hindu religious event of Magh Mela in Allahabad, India which begins begins on January 11 and ends on February 23, 2009.
The Magh Mela is held on the banks of the Sangam ( the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers and the mythical Saraswati) in Allahabad. The main ritual involves immersiong oneself in the Sangam on auspicious dates. This is said to wash out sins and lead to moksha, the ultimate aim of Hindus.
My photo essay on the Maha Kumbh Mela is at The Sadhus of the Kumbh Mela.
