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, being held from January 13 to February 26 in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, saw its first Amrit Snan occasion of Makar Sankranti on Tuesday. This holy dip is led by sadhus or seers from akharas,

Vast crowds of Hindu pilgrims in India bathed in sacred waters as the Kumbh Mela festival opened on Monday, with organisers expecting 400 million people -- the world's largest gathering of humanity -- to assemble over six weeks.India is the world's most populous nation, with 1.4 billion people, and so is used to large crowds.

An Indian woman’s daring skydive at 13,000 feet with the Maha Kumbh flag has gone viral, captivating millions and spotlighting Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Watch the inspiring video!

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.

Hari Om, a devotional OTT platform, offers free subscriptions at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. This spiritual gathering in Prayagraj highlights India's cultural heritage, drawing millions of devotees. Hari Om aims to blend tradition with modernity through its extensive devotional content available for free to attendees.

A festival so big that it can be seen from space. For more great language tips and programmes visit bbclearningenglish.com A festival so big that it can be seen from space. SUBTITLES AND WORKSHEET Find full subtitles and a worksheet for this episode at: FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ Follow us ✔️ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ LIKE PODCASTS?