Millions take the holy dip as Maha Kumbh begins in UP

Hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the country and abroad braced thick fog, intense cold and near-freezing water as they took the first holy dip at the Sangam—the confluence of the three holy rivers, the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati—in Prayagraj on Monday, marking the beginning of the Maha Kumbh mela, the world's largest religious and spiritual gathering.

- Kenneth John, K Sandeep Kumar and Rajeev Mullick

The 45-day fabled Maha Kumbh began with a sea of pilgrims, ranging from ash-smeared sadhus from their abode in the Himalayas to Hindu religious leaders and common people from all over the globe, taking a ritual dip on the occasion of Paush Purnima in their quest for "moksha" and the belief of absolution of their sins. According to the Uttar Pradesh government's estimate, around 400 million people are expected in the Kumbh, being held after 12 years, over the next six weeks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath extended their greetings to the pilgrims and tourists attending the 45-day celebrations of "faith and harmony".