NASA astronaut Donald Pettit has shared image of Prayagraj glowing at night during the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, offering a striking view of the massive religious gathering from the International Space Station (ISS).“My best shot of the 2025 Prayag Maha Kumbh Mela from ISS. It is a once in a 144 year Hindu pilgrimage to sacred riverbanks in India and one of the largest events in the world, with millions of people in this single photo!” said the astronaut sharing the image on X.The photographs show the city and the area around the Ganges lit up against the dark expanse of space, highlighting the sheer scale of the congregation as seen from orbit.Pettit had previously shared the same images from the ISS, describing the Maha Kumbh Mela as the world’s largest human gathering and noting how brightly it appeared from space. “This is the largest human gathering in the world, and it just shines so bright,” he had said.71-year-old astronaut was part of Nasa’s Expedition 72, the long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station focused on scientific research, technology demonstrations and Earth observation. The expedition crew also captured imagery of Earth as part of their work aboard the orbiting laboratory.Meanwhile, the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, held in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26, was a major Hindu pilgrimage centred on ritual bathing at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Devotees believe the sacred dip can cleanse sins and aid spiritual liberation. The event was also notable for its extraordinary scale, with hundreds of millions of visits recorded during the 45-day gathering.The 2025 edition was particularly significant because it was associated with a rare celestial configuration and was widely described as a Maha Kumbh, adding to its religious importance. The gathering’s enormous temporary infrastructure and millions of pilgrims made it one of the largest human gatherings ever recorded, giving Pettit’s images from orbit an unusual perspective on its scale.
