By RAJESH KUMAR SINGH and ASHWINI BHATIA
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year]
PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) — Thousands of devotees jostle behind bamboo fences to get a glimpse of the grand procession of the naked, ash-smeared and armed Hindu holy men. The Naga Sadhus are the highlight of the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious gathering now underway in northern India.
Worshipers jump over the barriers, running past police and paramilitary personnel, to seek the blessings of the holy men.
On the festival’s most auspicious days, these ascetics walk in such processions to bathe at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical Saraswati.
Naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, arrive in a procession to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical Saraswati, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, arrive in a procession to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical Saraswati, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
When they bathe, untying their hair, devotees jump into the rivers to touch the the water that washed the sadhus’ bodies.
Naga Sadhus are greatly revered, a rare sight outside the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival. Currently underway in the north Indian city of Prayagraj, it’s attended by tens of millions of the Hindu faithful. With a history as warrior monks, the Naga Sadhus still carry symbolic swords, lances and other weapons.
A naked Hindu ascetic holy man known as a Naga Sadhu holds a ceremonial trident at his camp, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A naked Hindu ascetic holy man known as a Naga Sadhu holds a ceremonial trident at his camp, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
At the festival grounds, they live austerely under the supervision of gurus in camps called akharas, a Hindi word that loosely translates as an academy.
It’s also where new Naga Sadhus are initiated by the head priest.
New initiates make ritual offerings to their dead ancestors, including themselves with the dead to signify severing of their bonds with earthly life.
Men with tonsured heads sit in rows for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics, known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men with tonsured heads sit in rows for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics, known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A senior priest hands out twigs to be used in ritual prayers to men with tonsured heads for their initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A senior priest hands out twigs to be used in ritual prayers to men with tonsured heads for their initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men with tonsured heads sit in rows for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men with tonsured heads sit in rows for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Barbers shave and tonsure men preparing for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Barbers shave and tonsure men preparing for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A senior priest hands out loincloths to men for their initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A senior priest hands out loincloths to men for their initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetics known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A man makes ritual offerings to his dead ancestors, including himself with the dead to signify severing his bonds with earthly life, as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A man makes ritual offerings to his dead ancestors, including himself with the dead to signify severing his bonds with earthly life, as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men with tonsured heads receive a sacred thread whose three strands symbolize right thoughts, right words and right actions ahead of their initiation into an order of naked ascetic Hindu holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men with tonsured heads receive a sacred thread whose three strands symbolize right thoughts, right words and right actions ahead of their initiation into an order of naked ascetic Hindu holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men perform ritual prayers for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men perform ritual prayers for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
They’re tonsured and shaved, leaving old identities behind, and given new names. They bathe at the confluence and perform purifying rituals before taking a vow to forego earthly pleasures.
The new initiates receive a sacred thread with three strands — symbolizing right thoughts, right words, and right actions — which they wear slung over the left shoulder.
Finally, the guru whispers a special secret message into their ears, making them a Naga Sadhu. The initiates enter a life of austerity and devotion to their guru and their religion.
A guru whispers a secret message into the ear of a man as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A guru whispers a secret message into the ear of a man as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A guru whispers a secret message into the ear of a man as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A guru whispers a secret message into the ear of a man as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men perform ritual prayers for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men perform ritual prayers for initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men with tonsured heads bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical Saraswati as part of their initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Men with tonsured heads bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical Saraswati as part of their initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A man bathes at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical Saraswati, as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A man bathes at the sacred confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers with the mythical Saraswati, as part of his initiation into an order of naked Hindu ascetic holy men known as the Naga Sadhus, during the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
