In India's West Bengal state, the beloved fish has leapt from the kitchen table to the campaign trail, becoming an unexpected flashpoint in a fiercely contested election.
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The world's largest religious festival has also been a chance for Indian PM Narendra Modi to burnish Hindu nationalist credentials
Critics say the festival's success has pushed the marginalisation India's Muslim minority
Warnings by hardline Hindu groups deterred many Muslim shopkeepers and hawkers from entering the festival grounds
Above the sea of people, loudspeakers trumpet the achievements of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party
Modi has championed a Hindu nationalist agenda intertwining the majority religion with politics and economy
The quest of millions seeking salvation at the world's largest religious festival has also been a golden opportunity for Indian Prime Minister…
Some worshippers celebrate Thaipusam by piercing their bodies with skewers in an act of penance
Hindus carry offerings on elaborate metal structures called 'kavadis', which weigh up to 100 kilogrammes
Malaysia's spectacular Batu Caves complex has played host to Thaipusam celebrations for more than a century