Thousands of devotees took a dip in the waters of a reservoir on the banks of India's sacred Godavari river, during the second royal bath (shahi snan) ritual of the Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival.

The royal baths are a high-point of the festival and is said to be timed to match an auspicious planetary alignment, when believers say spiritual energy flows to earth.

The festival has its roots in a Hindu tradition that says the Lord Vishnu wrested a golden pot from demons containing the nectar of immortality.

In a 12-day fight for possession, four drops fell to earth, in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik.

Every three years a Kumbh Mela is held at one of these spots, with the festival at Allahabad being the holiest of them all.

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