00:00It's hard to fully capture the atmosphere here, but I'm standing on one of 29 bridges
00:08taking pilgrims to a sacred spot where the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers
00:14meet.
00:15Now, over the next six weeks, millions of pilgrims will bathe here.
00:20They believe that this ritual washes away their sins and frees them from the cycle of
00:25rebirth.
00:28Mahakum is glorious.
00:30Pilgrims who come to bathe here on this occasion will be released from their mortal self.
00:33Now, this festival here in Prayagraj happens every 12 years, and the sheer size of it is
00:39staggering.
00:40Over 400 million people are expected to visit over the next few weeks.
00:45Many have travelled for days, even weeks to get here, some without any footwear.
00:51It's a sensory overload.
00:52There's the smell of incense, the sounds of chanting and the sight of devotees lining
00:57up for kilometres to reach these sacred rivers.
01:01This is a great festival.
01:02I'm really excited.
01:03I'm so much happy.
01:05So many people.
01:06Everyone loves God and everyone wants to take a bath.
01:09Now, the sheer logistics of this event are staggering.
01:13Authorities have essentially set up a temporary tent city across 40,000 square kilometres,
01:19complete with hospitals, public toilets and police checkpoints to manage these huge crowds.
01:25Despite the chaos, there's a deep sense of devotion here.
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