Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took holy dips in sacred river waters in the northern city of Prayagraj on Wednesday as he joined millions of people at the Maha Kumbh Mela, a week after dozens died in a stampede at the event.

India's Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a ritual river dip on Wednesday at the world's largest religious festival, a week after a stampede killed at least 30 pilgrims. More than 380 million people have so far taken a dip in the rivers during the festival,

PM Narendra Modi took a dip in the waters of Triveni Sangam on Wednesday to the accompaniment of Vedic hymns, becoming one with crores of pilgrims who have trooped to Maha Kumbh every day since Jan 13 to experience what he described as "a moment of divine connection".

Dozens of people were killed in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India on Wednesday as tens of millions of Hindus gathered to take a dip in sacred river waters on the most auspicious day of a six-week festival.

Modi took a boat ride from Arail Ghat to the Triveni Sangam; along the route, he acknowledged the greetings of the crowd that had lined up on both sides of the riverbank

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam and said he felt "blessed to be at the Maha Kumbh" where he was "filled with a spirit of devotion"