The temple elephant, Lakshmi, carefully lumbers down the long stairs to the river and blesses the pilgrims with a spray of water before receiving her morning bath.

BBC: Escape from Goa: Hampi and the ruins of Vijayanagara

Inside, the dean blesses the krakelingen and recites a prayer.

UNESCO: Culture

The White Nights is a nearly three month-long midsummer celebration that heralds the almost 24-hours of sunlight that blesses this northern latitude.

BBC: Living in: St Petersburg