Mahakumbh 2025: ISS astronaut shares celestial view of Earth’s largest gathering, captured from space

The Mahakumbh 2025, the world’s largest religious and human gathering, has been captured from a truly unique perspective—space. On Sunday night, the International Space Station (ISS) took awe-inspiring images of the event, revealing the breathtaking view of millions of devotees gathered along the banks of the Ganga River, illuminated by a sea of lights.

Astronaut Don Pettit, who is known for his work in astrophotography, shared these stunning images on the social media platform ‘X’. The pictures showcase the immense scale of the Maha Kumbh Mela, with the glowing lights and massive crowd transforming the banks of the river into a mesmerizing spectacle visible from space.

The Mahakumbh, which sees millions of devotees taking a sacred dip in the Ganga River to attain spiritual peace, has already attracted over 13 crore devotees, with the event continuing to unfold. These space-captured images highlight not only the religious significance of the event but also its grandeur on a global scale, drawing attention to the incredible human congregation that gathers at the confluence.

Don Pettit, an American astronaut and chemical engineer, is known for his innovation in space and astrophotography. Pettit, at 69, holds the title of NASA’s oldest active astronaut. He is also the inventor of the “Zero-G Cup,” the first patented object created in space. His sharing of the Mahakumbh images has provided the world with a rare and breathtaking glimpse of the event from above, further amplifying the awe and reverence surrounding this sacred gathering.