Women practice “katte samu”, a rural traditional self-defence martial art during a workshop organised by the The Department of Language, Art and Culture of Telangana state for the upcoming International Women Day in Hyderabad, on March 6, 2020. (Photo by Noah Seelam/AFP Photo)

A Sikh devotee carries on over-sized religious sword during a religious procession to celebrate the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru or master, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism in Amritsar, India, 05 November 2014. The birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji will be observed on 06 November. (Photo by Raminder Pal Singh/EPA)

People dressed as Santa Claus dance during an event as a part of Christmas celebrations in Chennai on December 22, 2024. (Photo by R.Satish Babu/AFP Photo)

A schoolgirl reacts as she wades through a flooded street during heavy rain showers in Mumbai on August 18, 2025. (Photo by Punit Paranjpe/AFP Photo)

An Indian couple stained with colored powder enjoys a loving moment during the Holi festival celebrations in Chennai, India, 18 March 2022. Holi, also known as the “Festival Of Colors” is an ancient Indian Hindu festival symbolizing the victory of good over evil and marking the arrival of spring. It is held with joyful gatherings during which revelers cover each other in colored powders. (Photo by Idrees Mohammed/EPA/EFE)

Sadhus take part in a religious roadshow (Peshwai) on December 14, 2024 in Allahabad, India. Kumbh Mela in 2025 is a Maha Kumbh, which is a significant Hindu festival celebrated once every 144 years at Prayagraj (Allahabad). Scheduled from January 13 to February 26, 2025, it attracts millions of devotees for ritual bathing at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers, marking a unique spiritual occasion with enhanced significance compared to regular Kumbh Mela. (Photo by Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images)

A student poses with her painted face, ahead of New Year celebrations at a college in Chennai on December 28, 2024. (Photo by R. Satish Babu/AFP Photo)

Members of Panchayati Akhara Bada Udasin take part in a religious procession as they head towards the Kumbh Mela festival ahead of the royal bath near the Sangam, the confluence of three of the holiest rivers in Hindu mythology – Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati – in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, 12 January 2025. Every 12 years, Hindu pilgrims gather for ritual baths at the river's banks during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival. (Photo by Rajat Gupta/EPA)