Millions of devotees began bathing at the confluence of the holy rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati, as the world's largest human gathering gets under way at Prayagraj in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.
Over an eight-week period, about 150 million people will participate in the Kumbh Mela, which would make this year's gathering the most crowded in its history.
To cope with the influx of visitors, the civic authorities have built hundreds of temporary bridges, mass kitchens and more than 100,000 portable toilets.
The Hindu festival may be religious, but it is also a mix of spirituality and tourism. Officials are expecting more than a million people from outside India to attend this year.
The Kumbh Mela finds its origins in the Hindu mythology, according to which, a few drops of the "nectar of immortality" fell on earth from heaven – all the places that host the festival.
Devotees believe dipping in the holy rivers will cleanse them of their sins and help attain "moksha", or salvation, from the cycle of life and death.
Check out some of the best photos so far below:
Sadhus or Hindu holy men leave after taking a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers, during 'Kumbh Mela', or the Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj, previously known as Allahabad, India. REUTERS
Naga Sadhus or Hindu Holy men leave after taking a dip during the first 'Shahi Snan' (grand bath) at 'Kumbh Mela' or the Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj, previously known as Allahabad, India. REUTERS
TOPSHOT - In this photograph taken on January 15, 2019, followers of the Kinnar Akhara monastic Hindu order made up of transgender members take a dip in the Sangam -- the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers -- during the auspicious bathing day of Makar Sankranti at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. For decades Laxmi Narayan Tripathi has fought untiringly India's conservative laws and beliefs to put her transgender community on a par with the rest of society, and now she has notched up a new milestone. On January 15 she and dozens of other resplendent "Kinnars" splashed in the sacred waters of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers alongside top Hindu ascetics at the immense Kumbh Mela festival in northern India.
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/ AFP / CHANDAN KHANNA
epa07285706 An Indian Sadhus (C), or holy woman, takes a 'shahi snans', or holy bath, at the Sangam river, the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati, during Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, 15 January 2019. The Hindu festival is one of the biggest in India and will be held from 15 January to 04 March 2019 in Allahabad. EPA/RAJAT GUPTA EPA-EFE/RAJAT GUPTA
Devotees arrive to take a dip during the first 'Shahi Snan' (grand bath) at 'Kumbh Mela' or the Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj, previously known as Allahabad, India, January 15, 2019. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui
Saints of Shri Panchayati Bada Udasin return to their camp at the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical river Saraswati on Makar Sankranti at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh state, India, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019. The Kumbh Mela is a series of ritual baths by Hindu holy men, and other pilgrims at the confluence of three sacred rivers — the Yamuna, the Ganges and the mythical Saraswati — that dates back to at least medieval times. The city's Mughal-era name Allahabad was recently changed to Prayagraj. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
In this photograph taken on January 15, 2019, followers of the Kinnar Akhara monastic Hindu order made up of transgender members ride on a chariot in a procession towards Sangam -- the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers -- during the auspicious bathing day of Makar Sankranti at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. For decades Laxmi Narayan Tripathi has fought untiringly India's conservative laws and beliefs to put her transgender community on a par with the rest of society, and now she has notched up a new milestone. On January 15 she and dozens of other resplendent "Kinnars" splashed in the sacred waters of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers alongside top Hindu ascetics at the immense Kumbh Mela festival in northern India.
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/ AFP / CHANDAN KHANNA
In this photograph taken on January 14, 2019, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (C), a transgender rights activist and chief of the Kinnar Akhara monastic Hindu order made up of transgender members, meets with Hari Gigi (centre R), head of the Hindu sadhu community Juna Akhara at the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad. For decades Laxmi Narayan Tripathi has fought untiringly India's conservative laws and beliefs to put her transgender community on a par with the rest of society, and now she has notched up a new milestone. On January 15 she and dozens of other resplendent "Kinnars" splashed in the sacred waters of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers alongside top Hindu ascetics at the immense Kumbh Mela festival in northern India.
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/ AFP / CHANDAN KHANNA
epaselect epa07285371 Head of Kinnar Akhara, a transgender congregation, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (C, front) and members take a 'shahi snans' or holy bath at the Sangam river, the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati, during Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, 15 January 2019. The Hindu festival is one of the biggest in India and will be held from 15 January to 04 March 2019 in Allahabad. EPA/RAJAT GUPTA
epa07285860 Indian people gather to take a 'shahi snans', or holy bath, at the Sangam river, the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati, during Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, 15 January 2019. The Hindu festival is one of the biggest in India and will be held from 15 January to 04 March 2019 in Allahabad. EPA/RAJAT GUPTA
epa07285917 Members of Kinnar Akhara, or transgender congregation, give blessings to devotees as they leave after taking a 'shahi snans' or holy bath at the Sangam river, the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati, during Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, 15 January 2019. The Hindu festival is one of the biggest in India and will be held from 15 January to 04 March 2019 in Allahabad. EPA/RAJAT GUPTA
Updated: January 16, 2019, 12:07 PM