India’s Maha Kumbh Mela festival gets under way for first time in 144 years

The grand version of the 12-yearly Hindu pilgrimage is expected to draw more than 400 million devotees

The world's largest religious gathering kicked off on Monday as millions of Hindu devotees gathered on the banks of Ganges in India to mark the beginning of the Maha Kumbh Mela.

The Kumbh Mela pilgrimage takes place every 12 years and is widely seen as the festival of festivals" in the Hindu religious calendar in India, attended by a vibrant mix of sadhus or holy men, ascetics, pilgrims and tourists. This year's celebration is particularly significant as the Maha or grand Kumbh Mela only takes places every 144 years, marking the 12th Kumbh Mela and a special celestial alignment of the sun, moon and Jupiter.