Yoga teacher Ramdev has urged saints and seers at the Kumbh Mela to quit smoking. "We follow Ram and Krishna who never smoked in their life then why should we? We must take a pledge to quit smoking," he said. "We sadhus have left everything including our home, mother and father for a greater cause, then why we cannot leave smoking."
He collected chillum (conical clay pipe) from several sadhus and made them take a pledge to quit tobacco. He said he will deposit all the chillum for display at the museum he will build.
"I have made youngsters quit tobacco and smoking, then why not Mahatamas," said Ramdev
The 55-day long Kumbh Mela will end on March 4. It is the largest human congregation in the world, with over 130 million pilgrims expected to participate in the festival with the belief that taking a dip in the holy water of Ganges River will pave the way for their salvation and would rid them of their sins.
"My Children Disappointed'': Ram Lalla Sculptor Arun Yogiraj, Family Denied US Visa Lights Worth Rs 50 Lakh Stolen At Ayodhya's Ram, Bhakti Path, Case Filed Khatron Ke Khiladi 14: Into The Blue With Wild Card Entrants Shilpa Shinde And Krishna Shroff Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing "Freedom Fighters Would Not Have Dreamt...": AAP's Atishi On Arvind Kejriwal 5 Big Highlights Of PM Modi's Independence Day Speech In Touch With India Over Bangladesh Political Crisis: US State Department Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.