Story highlights In addition to the dead, over 30 were hurt in Allahabad, a railway spokesman says

The rail station stampede mars the world's largest religious festival

An estimated 40 million Hindu pilgrims came to bathe in the Ganges River

India's prime minister says he's "deeply shocked" by the deaths

A railroad station crush left 36 people dead Sunday among tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims flocking to the banks of the Ganges River for the world's largest religious gathering, authorities reported.

The stampede occurred about 7 p.m. after someone fell from a platform bridge in Allahabad, the scene of this year's Kumbh Mela festival, North-Central Railway spokesman Sandeep Mathur said. He said the station was overcrowded with pilgrims, but denied reports that the bridge had collapsed.

In addition to the 36 killed, more than 30 people were injured in the stampede, according to Mathur. Earlier, 10 people were reported dead.

An estimated 40 million people came to Allahabad, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday to bathe at the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganges rivers and the mythical Saraswati River. It's the most significant Hindu pilgrimage, occurring every 12 years, Indian cultural and political observer K. G. Suresh said.

"The Hindus believe that a dip in the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and the Saraswati on this occasion helps get rid of all worldly sins," Suresh said.

Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Colored powder billows over the crowd during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, India, on March 9, 2013, during which pilgrims symbolically wash off their sins in a two-month-long festival. Hide Caption 1 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Bihari Hindu priests smear colored powder on each other after a ritual at the Sangam on March 6. Hide Caption 2 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Bihari Hindu priests run while holding their ears during a ritual at the Sangam on March 6. Hide Caption 3 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – An Indian child dressed as the Hindu god Shiva plays with sand on the banks of the Sangam in Allahabad on March 5. Hide Caption 4 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Hindu devotees return by boat after taking a holy dip at Sangam during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad on Wednesday, February 27. Hide Caption 5 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A woman places a floating candle on the Sangam on Sunday, February 17. Hide Caption 6 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A woman bathes in the Sangam on February 17. Hide Caption 7 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A woman rises out of the Sangam on February 17. Hide Caption 8 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Young men run in the waters of the Sangam as Hindu devotees bathe on Saturday, February 16. Hide Caption 9 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A Hindu devotee bathes in the Sangam on February 16. Hide Caption 10 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A Hindu man prepares to bathe in the Sangam on February 16. Hide Caption 11 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Temporary tents for devotees fill Sangamat at dusk during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, India, on Wednesday, February 13. Hide Caption 12 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Hindu pilgrims walk across a pontoon bridge on the banks of Sangam on Tuesday, February 12, at the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Hide Caption 13 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – The Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering on Earth, is held every 12 years on the banks of Sangam. Hide Caption 14 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Hindu pilgrims pack tightly into a train car at Allahabad train station on Monday, February 11, where a deadly stampede occurred the night before. Hide Caption 15 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Men grieve on February 11, after a railroad station crush that left 36 people dead Sunday at the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, India. Hide Caption 16 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A Hindu devotee waits on February 11 as people move through the site of Sunday's stampede in Allahabad, India. Tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims flock to the banks of the Ganges River for what is thought to be the world's largest religious gathering. Hide Caption 17 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – Hospital attendants wheel in a woman injured in the stampede in Allahabad on Sunday, February 10. The stampede occurred about 7 p.m. after someone fell from a platform bridge in Allahabad, the scene of this year's Kumbh Mela festival, North-Central Railway spokesman Sandeep Mathur said. He said the station was overcrowded with pilgrims, but denied reports that the bridge had collapsed. Hide Caption 18 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A man talks from the Railway Hospital in Allahabad on February 10. Hide Caption 19 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Hindu devotees pray as they bathe in the Sangam -- the confluence of the Yamuna, Ganges and mythical Saraswati rivers -- at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, on Sunday, February 10. Hide Caption 20 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Hindu devotees hold offerings during a blessing ceremony on the banks of the Sangam on February 10. Hide Caption 21 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – An Indian woman holds up the corners of two saris to dry on the banks of the Sangam on February 10. Hide Caption 22 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A naga sadhu, or holy man, shows off his 'jata' (long hair) as he marches to the Sangam on February 10. Naked saints covered with ash led the ritual bathing before dawn. Hide Caption 23 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – An Indian devotee holds her child as a man shaves his head on February 9. Hide Caption 24 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Hindu devotees bathe on the banks of the Sangam on February 9. Hide Caption 25 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A devotee bathes in the Sangam on February 9. Hide Caption 26 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Sadhu, or holy man, covers his face in ash at the grounds of the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on February 9. Hide Caption 27 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Devotees warm themselves early in the morning before taking a bath on the banks of Sangam on February 9. Hide Caption 28 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A father lifts his son out of the waters of the Sangam on Friday, February 8. Hide Caption 29 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Sadhvi, or holy woman, sits inside her tent on February 8. Hide Caption 30 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – An Indian Hindu devotee dries her sari in the wind as she stands near a billboard showing Hindu gurus in Allahabad, India, on February 8. Hide Caption 31 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Indian devotees stand in front of a painting depicting Hindu gods during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival on February 8. Hide Caption 32 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Devotees line up to receive a free meal near women drying saris on February 8. Hide Caption 33 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Hindu volunteer serves meals at one of the hundreds of camps set up by religious groups during the festival on February 8. Hide Caption 34 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A devotee takes a holy dip at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna and the mythic Saraswati on February 7. Hide Caption 35 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Newly initiated Naga Sadhus, translated "naked holy men," prepare to perform rituals on the banks of the Ganges River on February 6. The men wear little to no clothing during the rituals, which include running into the river to bathe. Hide Caption 36 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Naga Sadhus perform rituals on the bank of the Ganges River on January 30. Hide Caption 37 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Naga Sadhu reflects after performing evening rituals at the Akhara camp on January 29. Hide Caption 38 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Sadhu prays as he sits on the banks of Sangam. Hide Caption 39 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Foreign devotees participate in yoga on the banks of the Sangam on January 16. Hide Caption 40 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Sadhu makes his way toward the banks of Sangam on January 15. Hide Caption 41 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Hindu devotees bathe in the waters of Sangam on January 15. Hide Caption 42 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Devotees bathe in the waters of the Ganges. Hide Caption 43 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Naga Sadhus run into the waters of the Ganges River during the bathing day of the Maha Kumbh Mela on January 14. Hide Caption 44 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Sadhu pours water from a conch shell as he prays on the banks of the Ganges river. Hide Caption 45 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A boy reacts as water is poured over his head at the edge of the Sangam. Hide Caption 46 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – A Hindu devotee holds out a saree to dry after having bathed on the banks of the Ganges river on January 13. Hide Caption 47 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival World's biggest religious festival – Devotees walk into the waters at the Sangam in Allahabad on January 13. Hide Caption 48 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A devotee prays at day break while taking a dip at the Sangam on January 13. Hide Caption 49 of 50 Photos: Photos: Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival Kumbh Mela, world's biggest religious festival – A Sadhu looks in a mirror as he applies paint to his forehead moments after taking a dip in the Ganges river in Allahabad during the beginning of Kumbh Mela in Allahabad on January 13. Hide Caption 50 of 50

Sunday was the main day for bathing of the 55-day Kumbh Mela. In Hindu mythology, Allahabad is one of the four places where drops of the "nectar of immortality" contained in a pitcher fell to earth as gods and demons fought for it.

The holy bathing began on Saturday afternoon and peaked after midnight, festival official Satish Kumar Sharma said.

More than 12,000 police officers were guarding the nearly 20-square-kilometer (7.7-square-mile) site, India's government said.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was "deeply shocked" by the deaths and promised to extend "all possible help" to state authorities.

"I send my heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families and wish those injured a speedy recovery," Singh said in a statement issued by his office. He pledged that those injured and the families of those killed would receive compensation.