More than 500 million people have taken a "holy dip" in sacred river waters in north India over the last four weeks as part of the Hindu Maha Kumbh festival, authorities said on Friday, greater than the population of most countries.

The total count is now expected to soar beyond 55 to 60 crores before the Maha Kumbh concludes on February 26.

The Mahakumbh, the world’s largest religious pilgrimage, is drawing millions of devotees to Prayagraj for a sacred dip in the holy Triveni Sangam. Among the sea of pilgrims, an unexpected participant has stolen the internet’s heart—a beagle named Zorawar.

The ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, has been drawing huge number of devotess across the world. The Mela is considered as the world's largest religious gathering, where the devotees take a sacred dip at Sangam,