Street vendor selling small ritual rope loops worn by Hindu pilgrims.

Those ropes are Hindu Sacred Threads, called "yajno pavitam" or Yajñopavītam.

For more information about the Hindu Sacred Threads, read en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanayana and www.oldandsold.com/books/hindu/hindu-4.shtml.

Photo taken at the Kumbh Mela 2013 festival near Allahabad (India)

Kumbh Mela is the largest festival on Earth, taking place once every 12 years, with more than 50 million Hindu pilgrims gathering to pray and bathe in the holy Ganges river.

For more photos and info about the Kumbh Mela festival, read the album description.