India's mega Hindu festival Kumbh Mela draws to a close

Naga Sadhus or Hindu holy men arriving to take a dip in Sangam, the confluence of Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, for Shahi Snan or 'royal bath', during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival, in Prayagraj on Jan 14, 2025. - AFP

PRAYGRAJ: India's Kumbh Mela festival wraps up Wednesday (Feb 26), with final ritual river bathing ceremonies ending six weeks of celebration that organisers say have been attended by hundreds of millions of devotees.

Despite two deadly stampedes that killed dozens, the festival in the northern city of Prayagraj has been hailed as a triumph by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party, bolstering its carefully cultivated image as a steward of Hindu resurgence and prosperity.