The 'royal bath' is a key part of the event, held every 12 years in the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, significant because Hindus believe it confers salvation from the cycle of birth and death, in addition to absolution of sins. "I was a bit intimidated by the crowd at first but ... was able to take a dip within two hours of arriving in the city," said Pawan Yadav, who witnessed he event after travelling 200 km (124 miles) from his home in Lucknow, the state capital. The Kumbh originates in a Hindu belief that four drops of the nectar of immortality fell to earth, one in Prayagraj, during a battle between the god Vishnu, known as the Preserver, and demons to possess a golden pitcher holding the elixir.