In pictures: Kumbh Mela gets under wayPublished14 January 2013Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage caption, India's Kumbh Mela is under way. Major versions of the festival are held every 12 years and this is thought to be the world's largest gathering of humanity.Image caption, Millions of people arrived for the first day of the festival, in Allahabad, which is expected to attract more than 100 million people over the next 55 days.Image caption, Hindus believe a dip at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in Allahabad, called Sangam, will cleanse sins and help bring salvation.Image caption, The festival started at dawn, led by naked ash-smeared Hindu holy men - Naga sadhus - with marigold garlands around their necks.Image caption, The sadhus arrived in a colourful procession and sprinted into the chilly waters of the Sangam.Image caption, Ordinary men and women followed the sadhus into the water - many had come from all parts of this vast country to take part.Image caption, Millions of pilgrims are expected to flock to the holy river during the next eight weeks - at its peak, authorities expect nearly 30 million people to be on the site.Image caption, Allahabad has been preparing for the festival for months, and 14 temporary hospitals and 40,000 toilets have been built to cope with the millions of pilgrims.Image caption, Teams are managing crowds on the river bank, encouraging pilgrims who have finished bathing to move away and make space for others.Image caption, Several squads of police on horseback regulated the flow of pilgrims to and from the waters. Some 50,000 have been deployed to keep order during the festival.More on this storyMillions bathe at Indian festivalPublished14 January 2013A day at the Kumbh Mela festivalPublished14 January 2013