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.

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.

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.

Hotel bookings in Prayagraj have increased nearly 10-fold from last year, while flight bookings to the city are up 65%, with tickets costing twice as much as last year on average.

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.

As the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 unfolds in Prayagraj, memories of my experience at Ujjain’s Simhasth Kumbh Mela in 2016 resurface. Battling scorching heat, I toured akhadas, met revered spiritual leaders,