The massive pilgrimage of the faithful and tourists to the Kumbh Mela, the largest human gathering on the planet, has turned this Hindu festival into a money-making machine. Sumptuous dormitories or the presence of international brands are behind this less traditional side of the event.

Millions of Hindu pilgrims are gathering in India to bathe in sacred waters for the six-week-long Kumbh Mela festival -- from the very old to babies, cave-dwelling monks to science teachers.The millennia-old Kumbh Mela,

Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest gathering, begins in India as millions bathe in the Ganges to seek spiritual salvation.

A Hindu devotee prays before taking a dip at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers on the first day of the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday,

Hindu devotees from across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj yesterday as the world's largest religious festival began. Over the coming 45 days, an estimated 400 million Hindus are expected to come together for Maha Kumbh Mela.