NEW DELHI— Pilgrims stampeded a Hindu temple Tuesday in the historic town of Jaipur, killing at least 40 people and injuring more than 100, according to media reports.

The Press Trust of India news agency quoted local government official Kiran Soni Gupta as saying that 40 bodies were brought to hospitals in the city in western India.

Police could not immediately be reached for comment and it was unclear what sparked the stampede.

Television footage showed dozens of bodies lying on the sidewalk, while nearby frantic people tried to revive unconscious devotees, slapping their faces and pressing on their chests.

Thousands had gathered at the temple at dawn Tuesday to mark the start of a Hindu festival. The temple is located inside a massive 15th century fort that overlooks the town.

Deadly stampedes are a relatively common occurrence at temples in India, where large crowds—sometimes hundreds of thousands of people — congregate in small areas lacking facilities to control big gatherings.

In August, 145 people were killed in a stampede at a hilltop temple in northern India.