Nearly 15 million Hindus, six times the number expected, took a dip in freezing waters seeking absolution of their sins on Monday, the first day of India's festival that could draw the world's largest single gathering of humanity.

Prayagraj has turned into a spiritual home with the Maha Kumbh 2025 celebrations to go on until February 26. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the event would elevate the country's ancient cultural and religious traditions to global prominence.

Maha Kumbh happening after a gap of 144 years in Prayagraj has begun from January 13, 2025. This sacred festival will witness around 45 crore devotees across the world including 15 lakh from foreign countries.

Spirituality and astrology, culture and religion, tradition and modern-day technology, it all fused into one in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati in Prayagraj.

Over 70 million devotees have participated in the world's biggest religious congregation; over 35 million on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14.

Naked Hindu ascetics and pilgrims are taking holy dips in sacred rivers in the first major bathing day of the Maha Kumbh festival, which is the largest religious congregation on Earth

Tens of thousands of naked Hindu ascetics and millions of pilgrims took dips in freezing water at the confluence of sacred rivers in northern India on Tuesday, in the first of a series of major baths in the Maha Kumbh festival,