Renowned spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev hails the Maha Kumbh Mela as the planet's foremost event, marking his third attendance at the sacred congregation in Prayagraj. Joined by millions, the gathering inspires with themes of liberation and unity,

This year's event is poised to be record-breaking, with the Uttar Pradesh government expecting around 40 crore devotees to participate in the sacred ritual of taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said with an expected turnout of 40 crore devotees this year, the Maha Kumbh is projected to generate up to Rs 2 lakh crore in economic growth.

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.

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.