These photographs were taken during the Ardh Kumbh Mela (Small Kumbh Mela) in 2013 in India. Twelve years later, in 2025, I returned to Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, to photograph the Maha Kumbh Mela — the rarest and most sacred of all Kumbh gatherings, taking place in this planetary alignment for the first time in 144 years.

Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious events in the world. Millions of pilgrims come to the sacred rivers — the Ganges, Yamuna, Shipra, and Godavari — to perform ritual bathing, believed to cleanse body and soul and bring spiritual liberation. The event is filled with silence, prayer, asceticism, and ceremonies rooted in centuries-old tradition.

In 2025, the Maha Kumbh Mela drew around 500 million people. Authorities implemented extraordinary safety measures, yet despite these efforts, tragic incidents and fatalities occurred.

Taking part in both editions allowed me to witness the spiritual depth of this gathering up close. It remains one of the most powerful and transformative experiences of my photographic life.