The biggest religious festival in the world takes place

This week, tens of thousands of Hindu ascetics and millions of pilgrims bathed in the icy water at the confluence of sacred rivers in northern India – the first in a series of major baths during the Maha Kumbh festival, the largest religious congregation in the world. The festival takes place at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, in the town of Prayagraj. Details:

• To start up: The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, began on Monday, with around 15 million pilgrims bathing in the sacred rivers. Over the next six weeks, the festival is expected to attract more than 400 million people, many of whom will participate in elaborate rituals, the AP reports.