Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 from space: NASA astronaut shares stunning night images of largest human gathering in the World

2025 Maha Kumbh Mela Ganges River pilgrimage from the ISS at night. (Image: @astro_Pettit/X)

NASA astronaut Donald Pettit has shared captivating images of Prayagraj illuminated for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Currently aboard the International Space Station with the Expedition 72 crew, the 69-year-old astronaut posted two mesmerising night-time images on social media on Sunday.

“These photos capture the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest human gathering, glowing brightly at night from space,” Pettit wrote. The images show a glittering city standing out against the dark backdrop of Earth. Followers praised the photos, calling them stunning and seeking details about the exact capture time.

2025 Maha Kumbh Mela Ganges River pilgrimage from the ISS at night. The largest human gathering in the world is well lit. pic.twitter.com/l9YD6o0Llo
Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) January 26, 2025

About the Maha Kumbh Mela
The Maha Kumbh Mela, held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is considered the largest religious gathering in the world. Over 450 million devotees are expected to attend, bathing at the holy Sangam of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.

The scale of the event dwarfs other global gatherings, including the Rio Carnival and Oktoberfest, which draw fewer than 10 million attendees. To manage the massive crowd, the city has deployed 10,000 sanitation workers, 1,800 Ganga Sevadut, and 6,000 hospital beds. The infrastructure includes 43 hospitals and air ambulances.

Pettit’s images offer a celestial glimpse into this remarkable event, showcasing its global significance and extraordinary scale.