Part of the Kumbha Mela festival is the evening Ganga Aarti celebration down by the banks of the holy Ganges river. Aarti is a Hindu ritual wear an oil lamp or lamps are lit and then waved ceremoniously at a deity. In this case the the holy river is looked open as the deity and the lit lamps are offered at the river.
Hundreds of thousands, if not more, attend this ceremony during the mela. Crowds gather early to find the best seats in the house and huddle along the banks of the Ganges for the ceremony.
Today's series of photos takes a look at the crowd waiting for the ceremony to begin and tomorrow we'll share photos from the ganga aarti ceremony itself.
Join our spiritual and photography adventure to the Kumbha Mela festival and across north India next year in February.
