Every twelfth year is held to be a year of peculiar grace; a greatly augmented volume of pilgrims results then.

The twelfth year has held this distinction since the remotest times, it is said.

It is said also that there is to be but one more twelfth year--for the Ganges.

After that, that holiest of all sacred rivers will cease to be holy, and will be abandoned by the pilgrim for many centuries; how many, the wise men have not stated.

At the end of that interval it will become holy again.