This is the bizarre moment devotees let cows trample over them during a religious festival in India.

Footage shows the bovines adorned with henna tattoos and colourful accessories stampeding across the streets of Ujjain City in Madhya Pradesh state on November 2.

The cow-worshipping locals lay on the pavement right in the path of the herd.

The activity was part of the religious Govardhan Puja festival, which emphasises gratitude for nature and its resources.

Hindus worship cows - and refuse to eat beef - because the animals hold a special place in their culture and spirituality, symbolising life, sustenance, and non-violence.

The reverence for the farm animals comes from both Hindu scriptures and cultural practices that date back thousands of years.

India even has hundreds of thousands of cows roaming its streets as farmers refuse to have them slaughtered once their economic use has ended.