Pilgrims take a holy dip in Sangam, the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, on the eve of Maha Shivaratri during the K…
A woman sells religious threads during the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on February 25, 2025
A vendor sells plastic bottles used by pilgrims to carry holy water during the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj on February 25, 2025
India's Kumbh Mela festival wraps up Wednesday, with final ritual river bathing ceremonies ending six weeks of celebration that organisers say…
The world's largest religious festival has also been a chance for Indian PM Narendra Modi to burnish Hindu nationalist credentials
Critics say the festival's success has pushed the marginalisation India's Muslim minority
Warnings by hardline Hindu groups deterred many Muslim shopkeepers and hawkers from entering the festival grounds
Above the sea of people, loudspeakers trumpet the achievements of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party
Modi has championed a Hindu nationalist agenda intertwining the majority religion with politics and economy
The quest of millions seeking salvation at the world's largest religious festival has also been a golden opportunity for Indian Prime Minister…