Millions take sacred dip at India’s Kumbh Mela, the largest religious event on Earth

The Kumbh Mela got underway in India on January 15 in India, and is expected to attract more than 100 million Hindus over the coming seven weeks. Devotees bathe in what they consider to be sacred waters at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers. This year, members of India's transgender community were among those taking part in the festival. The Kumbh Mela was recognised as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2017.