Devotees worshipped a pair of five-legged cows at the mass bathing festival in India which was attended by millions of pilgrims.

Footage shows the sacred, rare farm animal with its fifth leg protruding from its neck, decorated with garlands, displayed at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on January 18.

Locals believe the extra limb brings good luck, and touching the fifth leg will help fulfil wishes.

Another 'lucky' farm animal with a firth limb was also in attendance. That bovine, seen in the second part of the video, had a large extra leg and an untrimmed hoof hanging from its back.

Visitor Sandeep said: 'The cows were real, I checked myself. They had extra legs growing from their bodies. They are believed to be animals that are blessed to be born with that feature and survive for so long.'

The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, began last Monday. It is regarded as the largest human gathering on Earth, celebrating India's cultural and spiritual traditions.

This year, at least 450 million devotees are expected to participate in the holy dip during the 45-day event.

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.