Kumbh pots to parade through Britain

Hundreds of Hindus carrying ornate pots known as 'kumbhs' will parade through London, Manchester, Leicester and Dudley over the next three weeks.

This will be part of a unique and colourful pilgrimage symbolizing their commitment to protecting the environment.

The 'Green Kumbh Yatra' is an international initiative featuring one especially sacred metal kumbh carried across many countries to promote the importance of environmental and biodiversity conservation.

The 'Green Kumbh Yatra' was launched last year at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Hyderabad. It will end at the next convention in South Korea in 2014.

The sacred kumbh has already been greeted in many cities and sacred sites across India as well as in Nepal and Jerusalem. It is now in Britain ahead of a move to the US.

"Spirituality and religion's role in conservation is as old as time itself. This pilgrimage emphasises the profound connection between the collective wisdom and resources of our faith traditions and their role in conserving biodiversity," said Kusum Vyas of Green Kumbh Yatra.

"Our aim is to highlight the connection spiritual places such as sacred groves, rivers and mountains, temples, churches, synagogues and mosques have to their environment, and how worshippers are custodians of those environments."