Young Hindu woman with Ramanandi Tilak ritual forehead mark (also on her chest), preparing to take the Holy Bath in the Ganges river, at the Kumbh Mela 2013 Festival (India)

Kumbh Mela is the largest festival on Earth, taking place once every 12 years, with more than 50 million Hindu pilgrims gathering to pray and bathe in the holy Ganges river.

Thousands of Hindu devotees gather on the bank of the Ganges river at the Sangam where they will take the Holy Dip. The Triveni Sangam is the confluence of the Yamuna and the Ganga (Ganges) rivers, and this is the holiest place to take the ritual baths during the Kumbh Mela.

For more info about the Ramanandi Hindu sect, read en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramanandi_Sampradaya.

For more info about the Tilaka Hindu Ritual Mark, read en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilaka.

For more photos and info about the Kumbh Mela festival, read the album description.