Naked, ash-smeared Hindu ascetics perform holy dips at Maha Kumbh festival

Naked Hindu ascetics and pilgrims gathered on Tuesday at the confluence of sacred rivers in northern India, braving freezing waters for the first major bathing day of the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious congregation.

At sunrise, ash-smeared holy men carrying tridents, swords, spears, and small two-headed drums marched towards the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj.

Adorned with matted dreadlocks and marigold crowns, they chanted praises to Lord Shiva in a grand procession marked by singing, drumming, and the blowing of horns.

The Maha Kumbh, held every 12 years, began on Monday with officials reporting over 15 million pilgrims bathing in the sacred waters.

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Over the next six weeks, the festival is expected to draw more than 400 million attendees, participating in rituals believed by Hindus to cleanse sins and break the cycle of rebirth.

According to Hindu tradition, the festival is rooted in the tale of Lord Vishnu, who wrested a golden pitcher of immortality nectar from demons, with a few drops said to have fallen at Prayagraj, Nasik, Ujjain, and Haridwar — the sites of the Kumbh, which rotates every three years.

This year’s Maha Kumbh, the largest yet, has seen authorities establish a sprawling tent city along the riverbanks to accommodate visitors.

The Indian government has invested over $765 million in infrastructure, including 3,000 kitchens and 150,000 toilets, as well as deploying 50,000 security personnel to manage the crowd and ensure safety.

Pilgrims and ascetics, including the Naga Sadhus — once mercenary armies, now revered for their devotion to Lord Shiva — have set up expansive camps for prayers and religious discourses.

Many devotees plan to stay throughout the festival, observing austerity, giving alms, and participating in daily river baths, prayers, and meditation sessions.

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