The Maha Kumbh, the world's largest spiritual gathering, began with the 'Shahi Snan' at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, attracting 35 crore devotees. Massive arrangements are in place for the 45-day event,

While the Kumbh Mela festival is ordinarly held every three years, rotating between several holy cities on the banks of these rivers, the Maha Kumbh Mela occurs only once every 12 years. Maha means “great”, and the event attracts the most devotees because it is considered the most auspicious and holy in the cycle.

Maha Kumbh Mela or Great Pitcher Festival begins in India on Monday, a Hindu sacred event that will be the world's largest gathering of humanity as it showcases religion, spirituality, tourism and crowd management.

Hindu devotees attend ‘Maha Kumbh Mela’ in India Live from Prayagraj as millions of Hindu devotees gather in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh for the Maha Kumbh festival, said to be the largest religious congregation on earth.

The Maha Kumbh Mela, or the Great Pitcher Festival, will bring more than 400 million people to Prayagraj city in northern India over a period of six weeks starting Monday, making it the largest gathering of humanity in the world.