Locals took part in a bizarre coconut smashing ritual during a Hindu festival in Bangkok, Thailand.

Footage shows religious devotees throwing the hard-shelled tropical fruits onto the road, dousing the tarmac with coconut flesh and water during the Navaratri Festival on October 24.

The unusual ceremony is believed to attract prosperity, as coconuts - said to be a symbol of the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh - are offered to the deities during auspicious occasions.

The ritual took place on Vijayadashami Day - the end of the Navaratri Festival celebrating the Hindu goddess Durga and her victory over the evil demon Mahishasura.

There are four other Hindu festivals that share the same name, but the most significant is the Sharad Navratri Festival held during the early autumn.