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

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.

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.

Hindu devotees from across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj yesterday as the world's largest religious festival began. Over the coming 45 days, an estimated 400 million Hindus are expected to come together for Maha Kumbh Mela.

Millions of Hindu pilgrims are gathering in India to bathe in sacred waters for the six-week-long Kumbh Mela festival -- from the very old to babies, cave-dwelling monks to science