A fire has torn through at least 18 temporary tents at a massive Hindu festival thronged by millions of people in India’s northern Prayagraj city.

Over about the next six weeks, Hindu pilgrims will gather at the confluence of three sacred rivers where they will take part in elaborate rituals.

Vast crowds of Hindu pilgrims in India bathed in sacred waters as the Kumbh Mela festival opened on Monday, with organisers expecting 400 million people -- the world's largest gathering

It’s late evening in the city of Prayagraj and the roadside vendors selling snacks are packing up their wares to shut for the night.

As India begins the largest religious gathering in the world, the local bishop says the Church’s educational and religious facilities will be used to help millions of Hindu pilgrims.

A large fire broke out at a Hindu religious festival, the Maha Kumbh Mela, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, but the blaze was quickly brought under control and no injuries were reported,