The Maha Kumbh Mela, a once-in-a-144-year spiritual gathering event for Hindus, began on 13 January 2025 and will continue until 26 February 2025 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of the Ganga River.

India began on Monday its Maha Kumbh Mela, or Great Pitcher Festival, which is expected to draw more than 400 million visitors to the northern city of Prayagraj over six weeks, making for the largest gathering of humanity in the world.

The Maha Kumbh Mela has commenced in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on. The 45-day religious gathering is significant for Hindu pilgrims and devotees as the event marks the completion of 12 Kumbh Mela cycles,

Over the coming 45 days, an estimated 400 million Hindus are expected to come together for Maha Kumbh Mela. The festival is held every 12 years but the "Maha" or grand Kumbh Mela takes place only every 144 years, "marking the 12th Kumbh Mela and a special celestial alignment of the sun, moon and Jupiter", said The Guardian.

This year's Maha Kumbh holds even greater significance, as it aligns with unique celestial configurations that occur once every 144 years, amplifying its spiritual importance.

Swami Sivananda Baba is a Padma Shri recipient and yoga practitioner. He has attended every Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Nashik, Ujjain, and Haridwar for the past 100 years, said his disciple Sanjay Sarvajana.

Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, in Prayagraj, is expected to be a one-of-a-kind cultural fest welcoming crores of pilgrims, as well as tourists to take their bath in sacred Ganges.

Our country has many pilgrimage sites, and Prayagraj is one of them. Prayagraj is also called the king of pilgrimages. Every 12 years, the Kumbh Mela is held in Prayagraj, which holds special significance in Hinduism.