Authorities in India are racing against time to get the city of Prayagraj ready to host the Hindu festival Kumbh Mela, described as humanity's biggest gathering. About 400 million pilgrims are expected to attend the 45-day spectacle, which is so large it can be seen from space.

Maha Kumbh Mela or Great Pitcher Festival begins in India on Monday, a Hindu sacred event that will be the world's largest gathering of humanity as it showcases religion, spirituality, tourism and crowd management.

Over 6 weeks from January 13, 350-400 million Hindu pilgrims will converge on the Ganges. Many will bathe in its waters to achieve salvation The world's largest gathering of humanity begins in India on January 13 with the opening of the Kumbh Mela,

Jasprit Bumrah will miss India's five-match T20 series against England but fellow fast bowler Mohammed Shami returns from injury.

Rishabh Pant, who was India's preferred wicketkeeper at the 2024 T20 World Cup and in two of the three T20Is in Sri Lanka in July last year, was not part of the squad; he was like