Holy Dip

Ash-smeared naked ‘naga’ ascetics, sadhus and seers perched atop decked up chariots led millions of pilgrims in taking a holy dip in the Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, marking the commencement of the nearly two-month-long Mahakumbh on Monday. A sea of humanity converged for the religious event dubbed as the ‘greatest show on earth’ and with the break of dawn, ‘Mahanirvani akhara’, along with ‘Atal akhara’ began their majestic ‘royal bathing procession (shahi snan)’ with ‘naga’ ascetics in the vanguard. Opulence appeared to be rubbing shoulders with austerity in the grand procession wherein ‘naga’ sadhus with matted hair and little or no clothes on their ash-smeared bodies presented a glowing contrast alongside the ‘mahamandaleshwars’ and religious leaders of other sects who came atop well-decorated chariots, horses and elephants. While the naga ascetics wore garlands of marigold and ‘rudraksh’, others displayed ornaments and crowns of gold in abundance.