It’s late evening in the city of Prayagraj and the roadside vendors selling snacks are packing up their wares to shut for the night.

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.