Millions of devout Hindus thronged the northern Indian city of Prayagraj on Thursday for the Maha Kumbh festival, a day after dozens died in a stampede on the most auspicious day of the six-week event.

Live: Three people returning from the Maha Kumbh were killed when their car collided with a bus on the Jaunpur-Raebareli highway early Thursday, reports PTI. The victims were identified as Sanjay Singh (45),

Millions of devout Hindus thronged the northern Indian city of Prayagraj on Thursday for the Maha Kumbh festival, a day after dozens died in a stampede on the most auspicious day of the six-week event.

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Over 45.11 lakh pilgrims visited the Mahakumbh till 8 am on Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Information Department said in a release.

Milind Soman wrote, "These are the moments that make you realise the importance of our very insignificant existence"

A stampede broke out at the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj during the auspicious Mauni Amavasya on January 29, leading to at least 30 deaths as thousands gathered for the holy dip.

Over 5.51 million devotees gathered at Sangam for a sacred holy dip. Get the latest updates, photos from the world's largest religious gathering.

Nearly 40 people were killed in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday and several others injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela - a Hindu religious festival touted to be the largest human gathering in the world.

Many were feared dead after millions of Hindu pilgrims at a huge Hindu festival in India rushed to bathe in holy river waters.