Stellar photos of divine event: Isro satellite captures Maha Kumbh from space

Indian Space Research Organisation satellite, CartoSat-2, captured the world's largest religious gathering, Kumbh Mela, from space. The Maha Kumbh, a massive religious event held every 12 years, is taking place in Prayagraj from January 13 and will run for 45 days until February 26. Over eight crore pilgrims have already taken a holy dip at the Sangam. (Credits: Isro)

A combination of time-series images from 15th September 2023 (pre-Kumbh Mela event) and 29th December 2024 (post-infrastructure development) has been captured by the EOS-04 (RISAT-1A) 'C' band microwave satellite. These images, with their all-weather capability and fine resolution (FRS-1, 2.25m), provide a detailed view of the progress in infrastructure development for the Maha Kumbh mela. (Credits: Isro)

The government has invested nearly $400 million to enhance the city's infrastructure for the festival. Additionally, Isro is supporting the Kumbh Mela by providing daily weather forecasts, with the Indian Meteorological Department setting up both fixed and mobile stations for this purpose. (Credits: Isro)

Satellite time-series images reveal the construction of Shivalay Park, the India-shaped park in Prayagraj, covering 12 acres of land. Designed to be a major attraction for the festival, the images, captured on three separate dates, document the development of this landmark. (Credits: Isro)

Union minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh praised the use of advanced technology at the event. "These advanced technologies represent a paradigm shift in managing large-scale religious gatherings. The Mahakumbh Mela stands as a shining example of how technology and tradition can come together to create a cleaner, healthier future for all," he tweeted. (Credits: Isro)

This image shows the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of three rivers – the Yamuna, the Ganga, and the mythical Saraswati. It also shows the New Yamuna Bridge and the Allahabad Fort. (Credits: Isro)

This image provides a zoomed-in view of the Triveni Sangam, showing the crowd gathered on the riverbanks for the festival. In both images, the crowd is visible as small dots along the banks of the river. (Credits: Isro)