For the first time in its history, the festival has cleared the way for a transgender group of sadhus (saints) to participate. (photo: Murali Krishnan)The 2011 census (India's most recent) was the first to count transgender people, finding a total of 487,803. (photo: Murali Krishnan)The Kumbh Mela is expected to attract more than 100 million pilgrims by the time it's over. While the transgender community has made a splash at this festival, the wider question remains whether India at large will fully recognize their social identity. The Kumbh Mela ends March 4.

Source: CBC News February 23, 2019 09:00 UTC