Norbulingka Summer Palace Norbulingka, which means “Treasure Park”, was once the summer palace of the Dalai Lama with many lakes as well as the tallest, largest and most beautiful gardens in the Tibetan plateau. Originally built with just a palace in the 1740s after the 7th Dalai Lama discovered the beauty of this wilderness and remoteness, after nearly 300 years and through many generations of the Dalai Lama Lama, the complex includes 5 palaces: Tsokyil, Kelsang, Takten Migyur, Golden Linka and Lake Heart. The palace has more than 370 rooms and 30,000 cultural relics to explore. Highlights include the Temple of the Dragon King, New Palace murals, Han-style pavilions, the Tibet Museum, and Norbulingka Zoo. Yerpa Nestled on the slopes of Dagze, Yerpa is a series of ancient caves, temples and chapels carved into the limestone cliffs of the Yerpa Valley. These caves were very important in pre-Buddhist times and later became a meditation site for famous Buddhist figures such as Songtsen Gampo, Padmasambhava and Atisha. Today, the slopes are covered in multicolored prayer flags. Yerpa is mainly visited by Tibetan pilgrims, but the fresh air and rural landscape are well worth a visit. Tibet Museum The Tibet Museum is the official museum and the first modern museum of Tibet. Housed in the Norbulingka Summer Palace, it houses more than 520,000 relics and antiquities, ranging from Chinese pottery to ancient Buddhist statues. Built in 1994 with typical Tibetan and Chinese architectural styles, the museum opened in late 1999. Don’t miss the decorative beams and wall hangings in the Prelude gallery, and folk art. Tibetan folklore from handicrafts, costumes to jewelry. Ganden Monastery Overlooking the Kyi-chu valley on the slopes of Mount Wangbur and comprising more than 50 buildings, Ganden Monastery is one of the oldest and largest Gelugpa Buddhist monasteries ever built. The monastery was founded in 1409 by Tsongkhapa, the master of the Yellow Hat sect in Tibetan Buddhism. When he died a decade later, his mummy was buried in a tomb covered with silver and gold. The monastery was attacked during the 1959 rebellion and then shot by Red Guard artillery in 1966, Tsongkhapa’s remains were destroyed. Today, Ganden is one of the three great monasteries of Lhasa. Don’t miss the annual Buddha Painting Festival in June and Ganden Kora, a 45-minute pilgrimage around the sanctuary with incredible views over the Lhasa River. Drepung Monastery Surrounded by mountains on all three sides, Drepung Monastery consists of pagodas and chapels painted in yellow and red along the slopes of the Gambo Utse mountain. With an impressive 600-year history, Drepung Monastery was once the largest and most powerful monastery in Tibet, and was also home to more than 10,000 monks in its heyday. Currently there are only 300 people, but this is still one of the 3 great monasteries of Lhasa. Currently Drepung contains 7 universities including: Deyang, Gomang, Shagkor, Loseling, Gyelwa, Dulwa, Ngagpa and Tosamling, each teaching a different school of Tibetan Buddhism. Visitors can discover 500-year-old Buddha statues as well as spectacular antique murals, porcelain and paintings here. Barkhor Road Located in the old town of Lhasa, Barkhor Street is an ancient circular street that loops around the Jokhang Temple. Built in 647 by the first king of Tibet Songtsen Gampo, the path was formed at the feet of thousands of Buddhist pilgrims. Paved with polished stone slabs flanked by traditional shops selling Tibetan knives, prayer wheels and Tibetan scrolls, Barkhor Street is one of Lhasa’s most popular tourist attractions. Sera Monastery Located at the foot of Mount Pubuchok, Sera Monastery is one of the 3 great monasteries of Lhasa. It was named Sera, which means wild rose, after the hillside covered with roses was chosen to build the monastery. Today, with its tree-lined cobblestone walkways, it remains one of the most beautiful monasteries in Tibet. Founded in 1419, Sera Monastery is dedicated to the golden hat line of Tibetan Buddhism. During its heyday, it had 5 colleges and 5,000 monks. Jokhang Temple Jokhang Temple, also known as Jokhang Monastery, is the spiritual center of Tibet. Located in the heart of the old town, surrounded by Barkhor Road – the holiest pilgrimage route for Tibetan pilgrims. First built in the Tubo period, Jokhang Temple is the oldest and most sacred structure in Lhasa, with 3,000 images of Buddha and other deities. It has been rebuilt and expanded many times and has a harmonious blend of Chinese, Indian and Nepali-influenced architectural styles. Don’t forget to admire the jewel-encrusted Sakyamuni statue, Tibet’s most sacred statue, and climb to the rooftop for captivating views of the pilgrimage trail and the Potala palace. Potala Palace Perched on the slopes of the Red Mountain, the Potala Palace is the tallest ancient palace in the world. Having served as the winter palace of the Dalai Lama since the 7th century, the Potala (meaning High Heaven) is also the seat of the Tibetan government and a major military fortress. Originally built as Srong-brtsan-sgam-po’s palace on Mount Potala, it was demolished and rebuilt on its current site in 1645 – chosen to be located near the Great Monastery Lhasa. Today, this majestic red and white palace has more than 1,000 rooms, including the living space of the Dalai Lama, the ceremony room, the throne, and the gilded burial stupas of the former Dalai Lama.

In 2014, American journalist Patrick Abboud visited this mountain to learn and discover the incredible customs and life of the local people. His show has been broadcast on American SBS. Origin of custom This strange ritual dates back to the 16th century, when a young Indonesian prince named Pangeran Samudro, the son of a Javanese king, had an abusive love affair with his stepmother, Princess Nyai Ontrowulan. The two fall in love despite the ties that bind them, and then run away together to the mountain Gunung Kemukus. However, they were caught in the act of having sex and killed by the king. Their graves were built by locals and since then, many people have come here to offer flowers to pray for good luck. Gunung Kemukus mountain in Indonesia. Since then, the Pon festival on the top of Gunung Kemukus was opened. People believe that the above couple has not completed the “sexual affair”, so if you come here and have sex with a stranger, you will have luck and fortune, have a happier and richer life. According to journalist Patrick, this is a Javanese ritual and it is completely different from the Muslim world or anywhere in Indonesia. It is a mixture of beliefs between Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. 8,000 people go to the mountains to have sex with strangers During the Pon festival on Mount Gunung Kemukus, attendees will find a stranger to have sex with. Furthermore, for their wish to come true, they had to do this 7 times in 35 days. Witnessing this custom, journalist Patrick exclaimed: “Unbelievable”. But what surprised him more was the large scale of this festival, each night up to thousands of people, with a peak night of more than 8,000 people coming here to pray. It will take them several weeks to perform this ritual. Pilgrims go to the mountains to pray for good luck. From married men, married women, government officials or prostitutes, all can participate in the ritual for good luck. Most are Indonesians from all regions. In the morning, they will go to the temple to offer flowers and pray. In the evening, they would go looking for strangers to spend the night together. This ritual is so popular that Mount Gunung Kemukus has become a popular tourist destination in Indonesia, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. The government and local people have allowed toll fees at Gunung Kemukus mountain, and built many hotels, motels, service areas and bus routes to serve tourism. Unforeseen consequences In the Indonesian concept, going to Gunung Kemukus mountain to have sex with strangers is for good luck, has nothing to do with relationships outside of marriage. However, this also left many unpredictable consequences, Gunung Kemukus accidentally became the main territory of the sex workers. Journalist Patrick followed pilgrims up the mountain for good luck, then approached a woman named Mardiyah, a widow with difficult financial conditions. When she met Mr. Patrick, Ms. Mardiyah had just completed the ritual of having sex 7 times in 35 days. She said the ritual worked because her business got better, helping her make more money. Couples are comfortable “making love” in the hope of having a happier and richer life. Ms. Mardiyah said: “I met a man who also came here for pilgrimage named Gepeng and went with his friends. He didn’t want to reveal the story because he didn’t want his wife to find out but his life. It has also changed a lot.” According to journalist Patrick, the Pon festival inadvertently turned Gunung Kemukus mountain into a good place for prostitution. It can cause problems with sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, and has many marital and family consequences, such as adultery or children out of wedlock. “I think there’s a contradiction between this ritual and prostitution. That’s why it’s been condemned by the government and the leaders. A lot of people who have contracted sexually transmitted diseases should have it. many health clinics are built in the mountains.I spoke to a doctor and learned that most sex workers are sexually ill, men don’t use condoms often, so The risk is great,” journalist Patrick shared. In addition, this festival also entails many lucrative business activities such as karaoke bars, motels disguised as prostitution, causing bad effects, obscuring religious values. Even so, religious believers still believe in the effectiveness of the festival, while the local government turns a blind eye.

Kbal Spean is an ancient historical archaeological site deep in the jungle, at the edge of the sacred Kulen mountain. Mount Kulen is an important pilgrimage site for Cambodians, about 50 km northeast of Siem Reap. The Kbal Spean is essentially a small river that flows from the top of Mount Kulen down to the fields surrounding the Angkor plain below. The river is a veritable treasure with an uncountable number of lingas (the symbol of the Hindu God Shiva) carved into the riverbed and surrounding rocks, giving it the name “River of a Thousand Lingas” “. The original carvings were made in the late 10th century, early 11th century. Who made them? Nobody know! But they are said to have been commissioned by the Khmer kings. Locals believe that this blessing is a way to keep their land fertile. Bokor Hill, Cambodia Bokor Hill is located atop the remote Damrei mountain in Preah Monivong National Park, about 37km west of the town of Kampot in southern Cambodia. It was built by the French in 1921 as a mountain retreat to escape the sweltering heat of Phnom Penh. It took only 9 months to complete the resort, but a total of 900 people, most of them Cambodian workers, died during construction. Bokor Hill Station was completed in 1925, welcoming the French and Cambodians of the upper class to relax. During its lifetime, it was known for its lavishness and grandeur. Besides the lavish Bokor Palace hotel and casino, there is also a post office, shops, churches and royal apartments. Fifteen years later, in 1940, due to local uprisings by the Khmer Issarak (an anti-French and anti-colonial movement), the colonists left Bokor Hill. In 1962, a casino was built inside the new hotel, several other buildings were also added. In 1972, Bokor Hill station was once again abandoned when the Khmer Rouge captured the area. By now, it has become very dilapidated and locals say the place is “full of ghosts”. Abbot Ayutthaya Buddha, Thailand Thái Before Bangkok, Ayutthaya thrived from the 14th to the 18th centuries – as one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world. After the Myanmar army attack in 1767, Ayutthaya became an abandoned place. They burned the city and destroyed the temples, destroyed sacred statues, destroyed Buddha statues. Unfortunately, the city was never rebuilt or resettled. All that remains are crumbling brick walls, hundreds of abandoned temples and countless headless Buddha statues. A Buddha’s head miraculously “survived”. It is the Buddha on the roots of a tree at Wat Mahathat, also one of the most iconic Buddha statues in Thailand. No one knows for sure how the Buddha’s head got caught in the roots of a tree. One theory is that the head was buried in the ground during times of conflict and was slowly raised by tree roots over the years. Kyaiktiyo Golden Rock, Myanmar Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda is found atop Mount Kyaiktiyo in a small town in Mon State, Myanmar. This is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Myanmar. What caught everyone’s attention was the huge golden rock that perched dangerously on the edge of a cliff with more than half of its surface tilted to the outdoors. The rock defied gravity and it looked like it was about to roll down the hill. Pilgrims have flocked to the site for decades. Over the years, the sacred stone has been inlaid with many layers of gold leaf by the devotees to show their respect to accumulate virtue and purify the soul. The Lost City of Mrauk U, Myanmar Mrauk U is a quaint little town in Rakhine State, near the Bangladesh border. It served as the capital of Mrauk U Kingdom from 1430 to 1785. At the time, Mrauk U was an important, wealthy trading city, attracting merchants from the Middle East, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France and other Asian countries. After the First English War, the kingdom collapsed and the center of commerce was moved to the coastal ports of Sittwe. The Mrauk U of today has been frozen in time with limited accessibility. Forgotten by outsiders, Mrauk U became a “missing city”. Travel to Mrauk U, you will have a trip back in time. Life moves very slowly. Simple houses, small wooden huts scattered throughout the countryside. The main means of transportation are wooden bullock carts, old-fashioned tractors, bicycles and buggies. Similar to Bagan, Mrauk U has a large collection of some 700 ancient temples and pagodas built during the reigns of 49 Arakan kings. Although the site is not as big or majestic as Bagan, it has its own charm. Ancient jungle-covered ruins make a great backdrop for photos, especially at sunrise when the morning mist adds a mystical effect. Temples aren’t the only attraction in Mrauk U. The village offers a chance to explore past life and connect with the local culture. Unlike Bagan, the military government forced people living around the old temples to move to other places, in Mrauk U, people still live and do agriculture here.

On April 12, three million Indians gathered on the banks of the Ganges River. They gathered in the ancient city of Haridwar, in the state of Uttarakhand, to take a dip in the sacred river. Devoted and full of Hindu devotees crowded the streets. The Naga Sadhus, the “saints” of the Hindu ascetic practice, pose for a photo on the banks of the Ganges. Photo: AFP. This is one of the holiest days of the Kumbh Mela festival. This festival is one of the most important occasions for Hindus, attracting millions of pilgrims every year. On the same day, India recorded 169,000 new Covid-19 cases and surpassed Brazil to become the second hardest-hit country by the pandemic, according to Guardian . Ignore danger In the weeks before that, a second deadly wave of Covid-19 swept across the whole of India. However, calls to cancel the festival were rejected. By April 15, more than 2,000 festivalgoers had tested positive for the virus. As of the end of the festival on April 28, more than 9 million people have soaked in the water of the Ganges River. The actual number of Kumbh Mela participants is yet to be announced. Millions of pilgrims return home without being tested or quarantined. Several states have begun belated efforts to trace and isolate returnees from Kumbh Mela. In Madhya Pradesh, 789 pilgrims have been placed in quarantine. Of those, 118 tested positive. The Naga Sandhus attend a procession on the banks of the Ganges. Photo: Reuters. T Jacob John, former head of virology at the Indian Council of Medical Research, said: “The pilgrims in the states carry with them mutated strains of the virus and spread the disease everywhere.” . Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University, said that Kumbh Mela could be “the largest super-contagious event in the history of the Covid-19 pandemic”. Devotees attend night prayers on the banks of the Ganges River at the Kumbh Mela festival, April 13. Photo: Reuters. During the festival period, the state of Uttarakhand recorded a 1,800% increase in the number of virus positive cases. Most of the infections are related to the Kumbh Mela festival. No one escapes Covid-19 Thakur Puran Singh, a senior member of the BJP, does not believe he has contracted Covid-19 at Kumbh Mela. At dawn on April 9, he and his family drove nearly 600 km to Haridwar to attend the Kumbh Mela. Over the next five days, his family took several dips in the Ganges River. On April 16, a day after returning home, Mr. Singh started showing symptoms of Covid-19. At first, he refused to believe that he had Covid-19. However, on April 21, his condition worsened. When he was taken to a local hospital, doctors suspected he had Covid-19 because his lungs had been damaged. His son did not believe him and took him to another hospital that he considered more reputable. Thakur Puran Singh and family participate in Kumbh Mela festival. Photo: The Guardian. “I couldn’t believe the doctors and their diagnosis. I didn’t even wear a mask when I took my dad to the hospital,” said Dinesh Singh Thakur. However, Mr. Singh died en route. Eight days later, his brother, Balwant Singh, also died with symptoms of Covid-19. “Even after Mr Singh’s death, the family kept a secret that they had come to Kumbh Mela,” said Dr. Shameema, regional medical director. After returning, they also participated in four weddings. Dr Iqbal Malik, another health official, confirmed that four members of Mr Singh’s family have tested positive. More than two dozen other people who were in close contact with Singh’s family members also had similar results. Mr. Singh’s body was cremated according to the procedures of the victim who died from Covid-19. However, his family still does not believe that he died from the virus. “There are 11 people in my family, why is it that only my father is gone? My father’s death was not due to Covid-19. Fate has called him,” Thakur said. Regret Gopal Singh’s family and neighbors were touched to see him return to his hometown from Kumbh Mela. The people of Madhi Chaubisa village came out to greet him and hoped for blessings. Contrary to the joy of the villagers, he was still terrified. Singh joined about 100 others from the surrounding villages on a sacred pilgrimage to Kumbh Mela. On the way home, he saw everyone falling ill. Many passengers said they had high fever and diarrhea. However, their vehicle did not stop at any of the Covid-19 testing sites. Devotees await the Naga Sadhus at the Kumbh Mela festival. Photo: AP. “I have been to Kumbh Mela twice before but I have never seen anything like this. A lot of people have been infected,” he said. Mr Singh insisted on being tested for Covid-19 despite a local doctor dismissing his concerns. Four days later, as expected, he was positive for SARS-CoV-2. Before that, he had contact with many people in the village. Three other people traveling with Mr Singh also tested positive. Ragu Raj Dangi, head of the village, said: “After everyone returned from Kumbh Mela, the number of people with Covid-19 has increased to more than 30 cases in just a few days. There are still a lot of other people who have symptoms but haven’t been tested.” A few days later, Mamta Bhai, Mr. Singh’s neighbour, developed a fever. She was treated by a local doctor. Although she was later taken to the intensive care unit, she still did not survive. Singh feels guilty: “Stubbornness and ignorance pushed us into a disaster. I feel terrible. Because of fanatics like me, other people get the virus.” Mr. Pragyaanant Giri, a Hindu monk, also went to Kumbh Mela. Like many at the monastery, he believes Covid-19 is a conspiracy. After a month of attending the festival, Mr. Giri developed symptoms of a sore throat and high fever. His companions advised him to rest. The police officer asks a person to leave after taking a dip in the water of the Ganges. Photo: Reuters. After that, his condition worsened. After two weeks of intensive care, Mr. Giri passed away. Despite the rules for patients dying from Covid-19, his body was buried at the monastery. People in the monastery said: “More than 10 people who came into contact with Mr Giri have developed Covid-19 symptoms and some have been hospitalized. However, most members of the monastery are not tested.” Even after Giri’s death, the belief that Covid-19 is not real still pervades the monastery. Swami Harigiri, the head of the monastery, thinks this is a plot against the Hindus. “We drink cow urine. Covid-19 will not affect us. Giri’s death caused by Covid-19 is fake news,” he said. In a small village in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, a group of five women came to the festival on an 11-day trip. After returning, two people died. Although the local health department announced the victims had tested negative for Covid-19, family members told a different story. Awadh Kishore Tiwari, grandson of Bindu Devi, one of the two dead women, said: “She fell ill the day she returned home. The very next day she was gone forever. My mother also tested positive after coming into contact with her.” Ms Devi’s brother-in-law, Awadhesh Chauhan, said he advised her not to attend the Kumbh Mela because of Covid-19. However, she laughed off: “Nothing will happen to me, don’t worry”. Bringing the ashes of unclaimed Covid-19 victims to the Ganges River Indian volunteers collect ashes from crematoriums to organize funerals for Covid-19 victims in Haridwar city.

Crosses on the wall at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Holy Land of Jerusalem. Until now, religious scholars believe that medieval pilgrims traveling to this sacred site carved images of crosses on the walls. But new research has shown that only a handful of people, be they masons or artisans, carved these crosses on behalf of pilgrims, who may have kept the dust from carved as a sacred keepsake. Some crosses date from the 14th or 15th centuries, hundreds of years after the Crusades in the Holy Land (1096-1291), suggesting that post-medieval pilgrims may have made the trees. Cross. “During our research, we scrutinized, analyzed every millimeter inside the crosses – their depth, their width, even the hands of the people who carved them,” said the project leader. Project Amit Re’em, Jerusalem regional archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority said. The team found that it was one person, or several, responsible for making these crosses, not the hundreds and thousands of pilgrims who visited the church. Re’em got the idea for research while visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The church was built in the 4th century, when Saint Helena, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, traveled to Jerusalem, and according to legend, helped discover the place where Jesus was crucified, burial and resurrection. Constantine had a basilica built there, and it was later called the Church of the Tomb. Together with colleagues Moshe Caine and Doron Altaratz, professor and senior lecturer, in the Department of Photographic Communication at Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem, the team used three photographic techniques to record the shape of the crosses: photogrammetry, reflectance-conversion imaging (RTI) and gigapixel imaging. For the optical measurement, the team took between 50 and 500 images of each subject, with each image at a different angle, and then used software to create a digital 3D image based on the triangulation of all The pictures. Meanwhile, with gigapixel photography, which is similar to zooming in from the whole world to a close-up street view on Google Maps, the team took multiple photos of the carved surfaces. All of these techniques help Re’em investigate the similarities and differences, including the chisel technique, of each carved cross. Furthermore, when the researchers took pictures of the crosses, they noticed inscriptions of names and dates engraved along them. “We found that the crosses were carved around the inscriptions, which means that the crosses date to or slightly later than the inscriptions,” Re’em said. After reading about the research being done in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz recently, William Purkis, a reader of medieval history at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, contacted Re’em. Purkis said he shares the same thoughts with Israeli researchers on the findings that these crosses were made by only a few experts. It is possible that the pilgrims paid a stone mason or an artist to carve a cross for them in the church, and then saved the dust as a sacred keepsake, Purkis said. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims were known to carry small lead vessels filled with souvenirs of the Holy Land, such as water from the Jordan River. Two of these medieval vases are in museums – the Cleveland Museum of Art and the British Museum.

Yen Tu is not only a sacred mountain of Vietnamese Buddhism but also a cultural and historical destination with extremely interesting natural scenery. Among the Yen Tu relic complex, the most famous is the Dong Yen Tu scenic area in Uong Bi city, Quang Ninh province. If you have come to Yen Tu on a fun but crowded spring festival, come back to pilgrimage these autumn days, explore hundreds of pagodas and towers, and follow in the footsteps of Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong – who left The king ascended the mountain to practice and founded the Truc Lam Zen sect with Vietnamese imprints 700 years ago. Right from the foot of the mountain, visitors can hardly count all the ancient pagodas with different legends: Bi Thuong Pagoda where the ceremony is performed before going up the mountain, Suoi Bath Pagoda where the Buddha stopped to shake off the dust, Cam pagoda. Real – the king began to use spring water instead of rice, pagoda and Giai Oan stream where the palace maidens were immersed in unsuccessfully advising the king to return, the fog drifted in the murmuring stream like meditation music. The most wonderful pilgrimage route is the road to the mountain through thousands of stone steps, a total length of about 6,000m, deserted by pedestrians. Although the road is long, but in the cool autumn weather and beautiful poetic scenery can dispel fatigue and depression, everyone’s footsteps are lighter. Walking under the trees, don’t forget to stop to rest and enjoy the ancient space in Duong Tung, the road about 200m thick with soaring pine trees with a lifespan of 700 years, cool foliage. On the way, there is also a supple, green Truc Forest in the middle of the mountains. Tung – Truc are symbols of Yen Tu, bearing the mettle and thoughts in harmony with nature of the ancients. If you are not healthy enough, you can choose the cable car to go up the mountain, visit the main temples. From the cable car, the magnificent scenery of Yen Tu National Forest is captured in sight. Up high, white clouds quickly covered, echoing the song On the top of Phu Van: The vastness of Phu Van Yen Tu / Vi vu vi vu Truc Lam meditation / To the top of the mountain three meters from the sky / To the bottom deep valley, long river. At an altitude of about 600m, visitors will encounter a quiet and majestic tower garden. That is the garden of the ancestral tower, the center of which is Hue Quang Tower, where the Buddha’s residence is located, the faint scent of incense darkens the time. Climbing the towering steps to Hoa Yen Pagoda, the 700-year-old ancient trees with thin branches and leaves imprinted with frost will surely make you admire. Hoa Yen Pagoda has a grand and majestic architecture leaning against the back of the mountain, which is the main temple of the whole Yen Tu pagoda system. Nestled on the cliff, hidden deep in the mountain is a unique pagoda with only one roof as the name suggests: Mot Mai Pagoda. Standing here, visitors will feel the peace and serenity as if they were far away from the world, only the sound of muffled chanting echoes. The Ngu Duoc am, Thung am (where apothecary), Bao Sai Van Tieu pagoda, … are all looming in the white clouds. The space is quiet, the wind and clouds come and go like a fairyland. On the way over the craggy stone steps to the top of the mountain, stop to admire the statue of An Ky Sinh, a natural rock shaped like a monk with his hands clasped respectfully, ao dai. Legend has it that in the 3rd century BC, Taoist An Ky Sinh came here from the North to practice religion. Majestic in the middle of the sacred land is the Buddha statue of Emperor Tran Nhan Tong. The monolithic bronze statue, weighing 138 tons, was inaugurated on the occasion of the 705 anniversary of the Buddha’s passing into Nirvana in 2013. The top of the mountain is here, Dong Pagoda – a unique temple cast entirely in bronze on an altitude of 1,068m. Even in the middle of a beautiful sunny autumn, it is difficult to see the temple not engulfed in clouds, but the moment standing on the top of the sacred mountain with relaxation, freedom and stillness makes anyone satisfied. At the end of the journey, visitors can visit destinations with a space imbued with meditation and culture of the Tran Dynasty at the foot of the mountain, participate in retreats or simply spend time relaxing, finding the best value for money. own simplicity.

Concerns about the festival becoming a “super contagious event” have come true. People returning from Kumbh test positive for SARS-CoV-2 and can cause widespread spread. “Super infectious” festival When Mahant Shankar Das, an 80-year-old Hindu, arrived in the town of Haridwar on March 15 to participate in the festival, cases of Covid-19 increased in many parts of India. On April 4, just four days after the festival officially started, Mr. Mahant Das had a positive result for SARS-CoV-2 and was advised to isolate in a tent. But instead of quarantining himself, he packed up a train that traveled 1,000 kilometers to the city of Varanasi. Here, his son picked him up at the train station, both of them took a taxi to their village 20 km from the neighboring city of Mirzapur. More than 9 million Hindus made a pilgrimage to the town of Haridwar in April this year. Photo: BBC. Talking on the phone with the reporter BBC recently, Mahant Das said he is now “very healthy and happy” and has been on quarantine at home since his return. He insisted that he did not transmit the virus to anyone, but within a few days, his son and a few other villagers had developed Covid-19 symptoms. His son Pathak, who made a full recovery from Covid-19, said their village had seen “13 people die in the last two weeks from fever and cough”. Village Covid-19 cases may – or may not – involve Mahant Das, but medical experts consider his behavior irresponsible. By traveling on a crowded train and sharing a taxi, he was able to spread the virus to many people along the way. Epidemiologist Dr Lalit Kant said the “huge group of masked pilgrims sitting on the banks of the river singing about the glory of the Ganges” created an ideal environment for the virus to spread rapidly. “We already know that church and temple choral singing are super contagious events,” he said. At Haridwar, officials said 2,642 followers had tested positive, including dozens of top religious leaders. Photo: BBC. Akhilesh Yadav, former head of neighboring Uttar Pradesh state, former King Gyanendra Shah of Nepal and former Empress Komal Shah were among those who tested positive after returning home. Bollywood composer Shravan Rathod died in a Mumbai hospital shortly after returning from the Kumbh festival. A group of nine Hindu prophets also died. With growing fears that returnees from Kumbh could infect others, some state governments have ordered 14-day mandatory quarantine and warnings that would severely punish those who conceal. information about their trip. However, very few states have tourist databases and none have systems to check and track people entering and leaving the border. Over the past two weeks, reports of returnees from Kumbh with positive test results have come from all over India. Dr. Kant said: “It was devastating. These numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. Crowded groups of pilgrims riding trains and buses will increase the number of shifts exponentially. I can say without hesitation that the Kumbh Mela festival is one of the main reasons behind the outbreak in India. Why do disasters happen? Mr. Mahant Das was exasperated when asked whether to cancel the Kumbh festival at a time when India is seeing a spike in cases and hospitals refuse to accept patients due to lack of beds, medicine and oxygen. practice. “Why are we religious people accused of gathering wrong?”, He asked. The Kumbh festival is said to still take place out of concern about a reaction from Hindu religious leaders like Mahant Das. On April 12, the festival’s first big day – when more than 3 million devotees soak in the Ganges in hopes of achieving salvation – India has recorded more than 168,000 cases of new, surpassed Covid-19. via Brazil to become the country with the second highest number of cases globally. It was not until a week later that the size of the festival decreased, after the death of a chief monk. Measures to avoid Covid-19 are being stepped up. However, things have gone too far. Last week, event organizers said 9.1 million pilgrims had visited Haridwar. From the outset there were concerns that letting the Kumbh festival take place was fraught with risks. Health experts warned the Indian government in early March that “a new and more contagious strain of corona exists in the country” and that the gathering of millions of non-masked people join one. The festival is reckless. Former Uttarakhand state leader Trivendra Singh Rawat said that he planned to leave Kumbh as a “limited, iconic event” from the outset as experts told him the pandemic would not be soon. end. “The festival attracts not only Indians but also other countries. I was worried that healthy people would come to Haridwar and carry virus germs everywhere when they return,” he said. But just a few days before the festival, he was replaced by Tirath Singh Rawat, who famously said “With the help of Ma Ganga (Goddess of Ganges) in the flow, there will be no corona virus”. Hindus believe that immersing themselves in the waters of the Ganges will help wash away their sins. Photo: BBC. The new head of state said that “no one will be banned”, a negative Covid-19 certificate is not required to join and it is sufficient only to follow the safety rules. But as millions flocked to town, officials struggled to impose epidemic prevention rules. Haridwar state medical director, Dr. Shambhu Kumar Jha, said crowd management became “very difficult” because they could not force devotees who had made a long journey back. Recent reports have shown that the state of Uttarakhand recorded 557 cases between March 14 and 20, when the pilgrimage began. The number of infections increased rapidly thereafter, with 38,581 reported cases between April 25 and May 1 – the last week of the festival. Dr. Kant is pessimistic about the way ahead. “Someone said that devotees would treat the corona virus as prasad and spread it. It’s tragic that pilgrims have carried infectious diseases everywhere,” he said. “I can’t think of anything I can do now to fix the situation. Our ship has gone too far ashore. We cannot even safely return to shore. I just prayed for the disease to get better and everyone could get through it. ” The chaplain’s account of the funeral for 150 Covid-19 patients before cremation Every day, Hindu cleric RamKaran Mishra performs a funeral for about 150 people who have died from Covid-19 at the Ghazipur crematory facility east of New Delhi, India.

In February 2021, health care and epidemiologists in India were delighted to see that the pandemic-related figures have all been plummeting. The number of Covid-19 cases has decreased, and the number of oxygen ventilators is sufficient for the patient. Experts at that time predicted that India had overcome the second wave of epidemics. However, in April, “lucky god” suddenly disappeared. Pictures of a series of corpses waiting to be cremated in turn flooded social networks. Hospitals lack bed and oxygen is severe. Many sick people and desperate families turned to buying medicine at the black market. Meanwhile, many others suffocated painfully in the hospital from lack of oxygen, according to the report Washington Post. The number of new cases in India has hit a record in the past few days. There is no indication that the number of infections will decrease in the near future. Temporary crematoriums are being massively erected in India. Photo: Reuters. Gathering people Back in early February, India had just over 13,000 cases a day, while the population was 1.4 billion. India has acquired a community immunity. Up to the present time, India has become the focal point of the global epidemic and receives great attention from the international community. On April 29, the country recorded 379,257 new cases of Covid-19 and 3,645 people died from the pandemic, marking the worst day ever of the pandemic in India. To date, the number of Covid-19 cases in the country has reached 18.38 million, including 204,832 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health of India. Experts commented that community immunity in India may not exist as previously assessed. The Naga Sadhus – Hindu ascetic “saints” – carry a sword or trident, leading devotees to participate in the Kumbh Mela festival on March 11. Photo: Reuters. The new wave of epidemics has made the poor now even more afflicted. Not only that, it is also reaching the rich class in Indian society. Although the rich tried to isolate society during the first wave of epidemics, they could not avoid this epidemic either. Crowds of people also play a huge role in spreading the virus. Blockade and quarantine restrictions are believed to have been lifted too soon in the world’s second most populous country. Residents are allowed to organize major parades. Hindu festivals attract tens of millions of pilgrims. These people often gather in cramped locations without protection. Random tests at pilgrimage sites recorded thousands of new infections. Even while the epidemic was peaking, the people of India were still not following the rules. Thousands of people gathered at the Ganges River to perform the ritual of bathing the river. They believe that the waters of the Ganges can save them from disease. “People let their guard down when India launched the vaccination campaign in January. People have returned to a normal life, traveling,” said Ramanan Laxminarayan, an epidemiologist at Princeton University. calendar, organizing a family wedding and without any restrictions, even wearing a mask “. New variant Scientists are still debating the role the new variants will play in making the pandemic in India unbelievably bad. Variation B.1.1.7, first discovered in the UK, is currently the dominant variant in the Indian state of Pubjab. Many studies show that B.1.1.7 is 40 to 70% more contagious than the original virus. At the same time it also makes the patient more likely to die. A medical worker walks over the bodies at a mass cremation point in Delhi on April 26. Photo: Reuters. Another variant, B.1.617, is present in the majority of patients in the state of Maharashtra. This variant is called a “double mutation” when it contains up to 2 official mutations found in two other strains. However, to date there is no official study showing whether B.1.617 is more transmissible than other variants. India also does not have the ability to decode the genetic sequence of B.1.617. Besides that, Brazilian and South African variants are also found in India. Why India lacks oxygen? Usually India’s hospitals and medical clinics use only 15% of the liquid oxygen produced in this country. However, until now, nearly 90% of the country’s supply has been transferred to health care facilities. Some Indian states do not have factories for the production of liquid oxygen. These regions must rely on supplies from other states. It takes two hours to fill a full tank with oxygen. This caused a long queue of trucks outside the factories. Even after full, oxygen trucks can only drive at 40 km / h and only move during the day. People in India are struggling with an unprecedented wave of Covid-19. Photo: AP. In October 2020, the Indian Ministry of Health announced plans to build a plant for more liquid oxygen production. However, only 33 out of 162 factories have been built so far. Prime Minister Modi also announced plans to build 551 other oxygen liquefaction plants on April 25. Even so, it would still be too late for the dying of hypoxia patients across India. “We told the authorities that we are ready to increase capacity, but we need financial support,” said Rajabhau Shinde, director of a small oxygen plant in Maharashtra. India decided to provide vaccines to anyone over the age of 18, starting May 1. The country also limits the number of exported vaccines and concentrates on domestic distribution. Several cities and states have announced new blockade restrictions. The government ordered a curfew, banned travel, and banned unnecessary activities. However, authorities believe that blockade is only the last resort. He refused to issue a nationwide blockade. A woman and a relative after her husband died of Covid-19. Photo: Reuters. The Indian government sends oxygen trains to all regions of the country. Military medical equipment stores were opened to deal with the urgent shortage. Armed forces have been deployed to hospitals. The world immediately rescued India Countries have already begun to take measures to help India. Singapore, Germany, UK sent oxygen-related devices on April 26. France, Russia and Australia will send medical aid. China and Pakistan have offered to help. The European Union has worked with member states to provide oxygen and medicines. The World Health Organization (WHO) will send more staff and supplies to India. The White House on April 28 said it would provide $ 100 million in aid to India, including 1,000 medical oxygen cylinders, 15 million N95 masks and one million Covid-19 rapid test kits. “Just as India sent support to the United States when our hospitals were stressed in the early stages of a pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in times of need,” the White House statement said. download on the website on April 28 clearly. The US is lifting a ban on sending raw materials abroad, enabling India to produce more AstraZeneca vaccines. President Biden is mobilizing a team of health experts and funding the expansion of India’s vaccine production capabilities. Doctors Without Borders welcomed the US move. The organization calls on the US government to ask pharmaceutical companies to “share technology and know-how.” However, the companies rejected this request. The crematorium and hospital were packed with people amid the Covid-19 wave in India The number of new Indian Covid-19 cases increased by more than 360,000 on April 27. In addition, the number of deaths increased exponentially, causing the crematorium to operate day and night.

“We were at the door and wanted to go out, but the police blocked the door. Therefore, no one can go to pharmacy, ”said this person. “In a panic, we fell into each other. I thought I would be trampled to death. “I saw the dead right next to me,” he recalls. “I feel like I’m going to die” A man named David said to him Ynet that the stomping happened when people came to see the fire. “Suddenly a wave of people came. We were swept away. Some people were thrown into the sky, others were crushed on the ground, ”he described. “There was a baby trying to hold onto my leg for life. We waited for our rescue within 15-20 minutes amidst this insane crowd. It was terrible, ”he recalls. Aid workers tried to remove the injured from the scene. Photo: Reuters. “Time seems endless, around us are paralyzed dead,” another witness said Ynet . He was dragged out of the crowd by the police to avoid suffocating. “Some people were on me. I was on someone who couldn’t breathe anymore. Surrounded with screams, I could see the children below me. At that time, I just thought of not wanting my children to die. orphan, “another witness shared with Israeli media. A 24-year-old witness named Dvir recounts that a bunch of people have been cornered. The first row collapsed under the pressure of the crowd, then the second row, where he was standing. “I felt like I was going to die,” he said. The disaster caused rescuers to struggle to disperse the crowd and rescue victims from the scene. “We are holding about 30 children and cannot reach their parents,” said a relief worker Channel 12 . “I’ve never seen anything like this. We are not sure what happened, but the consequences are unimaginable, ”he said. “We think there is a warning about a suspicious package of bombs,” a pilgrim named Yizhak told. Channel 12 . Meanwhile, follow New York Times, It seems that the trampling happened when some people slipped over the stone steps leading into a narrow, steep, metal floor. Ynet describes this as a “waterfall stream”. A witness named Chaim Vertheimer said the ramp was slippery due to water, including fruit juice being spilled onto the floor. “Everyone stopped, but many people continued to come. I remember hundreds of people exclaiming: I can’t breathe, ”she said Ynet. The festival turns into a tragedy From the night of April 29, about 100,000 radical Orthodox Jews gathered in Mount Meron, northern Israel to hold a traditional religious festival. Around 1 am on April 30 (local time), disaster happened. Thousands of people stepped on each other, killing 44 people and injuring hundreds. There is currently no official conclusion on the cause of the case. Extreme orthodox Jews celebrate the Lag b’Omer festival on the 18th day of the month of Iyar on the Jewish calendar. Pilgrims set fire to fire and dance around the tomb of a second-century rabbi to commemorate the clergy’s death. This year, the festival is still held, although Israeli health officials warn of the danger of this event becoming a reservoir of Covid-19 infection. Bodies of the victims were removed from the scene. Photo: Times of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a terrible catastrophe”. He came to the scene to directly direct the rescue work. The leader also declared 1/5 as a national mourning day for victims of the disaster. Some of the pilgrims present at the scene questioned and chanted slogans against him, according Times of Israel . The area around the scene is divided into several small areas for crowd control. The disaster has raised many questions about weakness, even negligence in planning. The recorded videos show police trying to block people who want to escape from the scene. They may not be aware of the severity of the situation and wish the chaotic crowd did not spread to other areas. Some images also show a locked door in the emergency exit. Eli Levy, spokesman for Israeli police, said investigations were underway, but it was too early to blame or indictment of negligence. He also said that many of the pilgrims refused to leave despite the calls to evacuate. For the survivors, they were unable to understand what happened. “Nobody imagined it could happen. The glee turned into mourning. The bright light turned into a deep night,” the witness named Yitzhak told him. Channel 12. Deadly trampling at Israel’s largest religious festival At least 38 people were killed, 103 were injured in the trampling at Israel’s largest religious festival. Tens of thousands of people joined the event, despite the warnings.

April 13, the first day of the month Ramadan For Muslims, Mecca (Saudi Arabia) has opened its doors to pilgrims – a far cry from what happened last year. It is a place that usually welcomes millions of Muslims to go to Mass each year on the occasion of Ramadan, but Mecca was shut down last year when the new outbreak of COVID-19 emerged and broke out. This year, Saudi officials have allowed people to go on pilgrimages, on the condition that strict regulations on disease prevention are followed. Accordingly, only those who are “immune” to COVID-19 are allowed to go to church – those who have had 2 doses of the vaccine, those who have received 1 dose of vaccine at least 14 days before going to church or those who are sick. and gone. Those who go to Mass must wear masks and keep their distance from those around them. Therefore, the spectacle of the lines of people crowded into the ceremony like a few years ago has disappeared. Ramadan is one of the 5 most important holidays for Muslims, starting from September on the Islamic calendar. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims will not eat or drink from sunrise until sunset and will gather with family or relatives in the evening to “go away”. It is still unclear whether Saudi officials will continue to keep the opening of Mecca until the holidays pilgrimage Haj in the middle of this year or not. Last year, Mecca also had to limit people to go to Mass on this occasion to control disease. Muslims go to Mass during the epidemic season. (Photo: SPA / Reuters)