In pictures: Maharishi cremated

Thousands of people have attended the cremation ceremony for influential Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who died last week at his home in the Netherlands.

Devotees of the Maharishi, who is credited with bringing meditation techniques to the West, chanted prayers and hymns during the ceremony in Allahabad, northern India.

The Maharishi's body was prepared according to traditional customs and carried through crowds of people from all over the world.

The cremation took place at the Maharishi's retreat overlooking the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, a holy site in the Hindu religion.

Members of the Maharishi's family lit the funeral pyre, which had been decorated with flower petals and flags.

The ceremony was also watched by leaders - known as rajas - from the Maharishi's group who have vowed to continue his work aiming to bring peace and healing through meditation.

Over the weekend, thousands of people had queued to pay their respects to the man whose Transcendental Meditation technique became a multi-million dollar empire.

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