A set of three photographs has been circulating across social media platforms, claiming to be of the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj, held from January 13 to February 26, which were purportedly taken from space by Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams. Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon Freedom on March 18 after a nine-month overstay at the International Space Station (ISS).
According to the claims, Williams took the viral photographs, which allegedly show the illuminated banks of the Ganga and a stunningly bright aerial view of Prayagraj, when the ISS flew over India. The archived versions of the posts can be seen here, here and here.
Fact Check
Newschecker first ran a keyword search for “Sunita Williams Kumbh photos”, which led us to this March 18, 2025 News18 report on Williams’ cousin, Falguni Pandya, revealing that the astronaut had sent her a picture from space of the Kumbh Mela.
“NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ sister-in-law Falguni Pandya said she was shown a photo of the Mahakumbh from the International Space Station (ISS). In an exclusive interview, she said, ‘I talked to her (Sunita Williams) right before I travelled to Kumbh. I asked her if she can see the Kumbh from space and what it looked like. She then sent me a picture of it from space’,” read an NDTV report, dated March 19, 2025. However, the family did not share the photos in the reports and neither has Williams made them public yet or posted on her X account, raising our doubts on the viral images.
Image 1
Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to this Instagram post by ABP News, dated January 22, 2025, stating that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released before and after satellite images of the Mahakumbh Nagar in Prayagraj. A similar Hindustan Times photo gallery, dated January 24, 2025, can be seen here, crediting the photo to ISRO.
A further search led us to the photo on the website of India’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), which is one of the centres of the ISRO. The caption states that the photo, taken on December 22, 2024, shows the Prayagraj Sangam and a zoomed-in section of the Ganga River, along with the temporary pontoon bridges. “Time series images (15 Sep 2023 & 29 Dec 2024) of EOS-04 (RISAT-1A) ‘C’ band microwave satellite, with its all-weather capability and fine resolution (FRS-1, 2.25m), provides unique insights on details of the Tent City (Layout of Structures and Roads) along with its network of pontoon bridges and supporting infrastructure, set up for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025,” ISRO reportedly said in a statement, which further confirms that the viral image was not taken by William aboard the ISS.
Image 2
Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to multiple news reports, seen here and here, from January 27, 2025, featuring the same photograph. According to the reports, NASA astronaut Donald Pettit posted stunning images of the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela taken from the International Space Station (ISS).
“An aerial view of the Triveni Sangam shared by NASA Astronaut Don Pettit from the International Space Station during the Mahakumbh 2025, in Prayagraj on Monday, January 27,” read a caption of the photo in a January 29, 2025 report published by The Hindu.
The reports led us to the January 27, 2025 X post by Pettit, sharing two photos of the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela taken from the ISS at night. Interestingly, although Williams was reportedly aboard the ISS alongside Pettit and other astronauts, as part of Expedition 72, which began on September 23, 2024, and scheduled to end in spring 2025, the photos have not been credited to her across media reports and official channels, hence contradicting the viral claim.
Image 3
A reverse image search led us to an uncropped photo on stock images website, Alamy, dated January 14, 2021, stating that it shows pilgrims taking holy dip in the Ganga River in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
Similar photos can be seen here, here and here, confirming that the viral image was not taken by Williams.
Conclusion
Photographs purportedly showing the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela, as seen from space and allegedly taken by Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, shared with false claims.
Source
X post, Don Pettit, January 27, 2025
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) website
Alamy photo, January 14, 2021
