The Kumbh Mela festival, the largest religious gathering in the world, has begun in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj.

Launched alongside Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, 'Amongst The Believers: The Kumbh Mela at Prayag' features Prashant Panjiar’s panoramic photographs, shot over two decades, entirely on film.

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.

The Kumbh Mela has grown over the years and has transformed from a religious gathering to much more. It provides a perfect combination of spirituality, adventure, and cultural diversity that makes it a very attractive destination for the young crowd.

To ensure a seamless experience at Mahakumbh, the state government has undertaken 549 projects at an estimated cost of ₹6,990 crore.

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.

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.

The Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela, considered the largest human gathering on the planet, began in northern India on Monday with thousands of pilgrims flocking to the holy confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Sarasvati rivers.