SANGAM

I had the privilege of attending the Maha Kumbha Mela, the most significant pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism. This event takes place every 12 years to mark Brihaspati's (Jupiter's) revolution and is celebrated at Sangam (Ganges-Yamuna-Sarasvati rivers confluence). In 2013, the Maha Kumbh Mela was held in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), and an astonishing 120 million pilgrims attended. I happened to be one of them. I was traveling with a friend in India when we heard about the festival and decided to change our plans to attend. We landed in Allahabad totally clueless and ended up spending the night with other pilgrims on the banks of the Ganges, sleeping inside a rolled-up rug like everyone else. The Maha Kumbh Mela is a grand occasion that brings together all Hindu sects and their gurus for celebrations, parades, and even recruitment drives. These photos are a glimpse of the incredible moments I spent there. Camera: Canon IXUS 100 IS Editing: Adobe Lightroom Classic