At least seven people were killed and around 10 injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj on Wednesday, an official said, the most auspicious day of the six-week Great Pitcher Festival.

Hindus believe that taking a dip at the confluence of three sacred rivers - Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati - absolves them of sins and confers salvation from the cycle of birth and death.

What is special about the holy dip on Wednesday?

'Mauni Amavasya', meaning the new moon day for observing silence, falls on Wednesday and is considered the most auspicious due to a rare alignment of celestial bodies after 144 years.

This cosmic placement, called 'Triveni Yog', mirrors a significant period in Hindu mythology when the sun, moon and mercury align in Capricorn, with Jupiter in its ninth element or ninth house of the zodiac.

According to Hindu mythology, one of the earliest sages, Rishabh Dev, broke a long vow of silence on this day and took a dip in the holy waters.

It is believed that those who bathe in these waters on this day, called the Shahi Snan, or royal bath, will attain spiritual growth and purification, with pre-dawn hours being the most auspicious.

How many people are expected?

Officials expect 100 million people to attend the festival on Wednesday, setting a record for the most number of people on a single day at the Kumbh.
By 12 noon (0630 GMT), more than 42 million people had taken a dip, officials said.

The last time such a large number of people visited the Kumbh on a single day was in 2019, when 50 million Hindus took part.

What special arrangements were made for the big day?

Indian Railways more than doubled the number of trains for Wednesday, running a total 360 services from different parts of the country.

Over 1,000 medical personnel were sent to the temporary Kumbh township spanning 4,000 hectares. More doctors were also deployed at the super speciality hospital in Prayagraj.

Local authorities have put in place additional measures for waste disposal, as they expect up to 1,500 tons of garbage to be generated each day during this period, higher than the daily count of 700 tons.

Security was also enhanced and traffic restrictions were put in place to better manage the crowd.