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Night procession of naked sadhus smeared with white ash, each wearing long marigold garlands draped over shoulders and chest. The central sadhu raises one arm holding a marigold strand and looks ahead. Behind them, a brightly illuminated gateway with orange and red lights and painted panels stands among a crowd. A man in a yellow high-visibility vest stands at left and a man in orange robes walks at right, carrying an orange flag on a pole. Spectators line metal barricades at left.

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Night procession at a Kumbh Mela site, with a brightly lit orange gateway strung with white and coloured lights and a banner in Hindi. Several naked, ash-smeared sadhus wearing thick marigold garlands walk through the crowd, some with long grey beards and one holding his arm outstretched. Around them, crowds of devotees and saffron-robed sannyasis in orange and white clothes line the road, with decorative lights and tents beyond. The scene reflects the Shahi Snan procession.2016-05-21A night photograph of a procession of naked, ash-smeared sadhus in Ujjain walking through a street lit by bright lights. Many wear long orange-yellow marigold garlands draped across their chests, shoulders and waists, and their hair is long and matted. One man in front holds a tall staff with a marigold-garlanded top. A lit, pink-and-gold temple-like structure with illuminated signage stands behind them, and a few onlookers appear at the left edge. The scene is consistent with an akhara procession at a Kumbh gathering.2016-05-21Night photograph of a group of naked ascetics. One figure wears only a red loincloth. Behind them stands an illuminated pink and orange gateway-shaped structure with glowing lights, a large lit ornament and a banner, with a dense crowd and a yellow-vested security worker in the background. The scene is lit by floodlights and street lamps.2016-05-21Night photograph of a procession of naked sadhus smeared with white ash, wearing long marigold garlands, walking past a brightly lit illuminated gateway with string lights and orange tent fabric. The foreground sadhu has a long white beard and grey hair; several others behind him raise hands and wear yellow turbans. Crowd barriers and a security worker in a high-visibility vest stand at left, with a bright light flare at upper right.2016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21April 22 20162016-04-22Night photograph of a procession of nearly naked ascetic sadhus smeared with white ash and wearing yellow marigold garlands on their necks, shoulders and loincloths, with some also wearing marigold crowns. Several have long grey beards and matted hair. Security staff in fluorescent yellow-green vests stand at the left edge. Behind them is an illuminated gate decorated with strings of lights and a lit pandal entrance. No clearly identifiable a person figure is visible.2016-05-21 +2 copiesApril 22 20162016-04-22Outdoor photo of a large procession of naked sadhus at a Kumbh Mela gathering, many wearing long marigold garlands around their necks and bodies and ash-grey skin. Several raise arms and hands in celebration while walking on dusty ground in bright sunlight. Some have long matted hair and beards; one holds a staff. Behind them stands a pink gateway with a banner, and on the right an orange-robed figure is partially visible.2016-04-22Outdoor procession of naked sadhus (Nirvani akhada ascetics) walking forward through a crowd, bodies smeared with ash, wearing marigold garlands across their chests, shoulders and waists. Several have long white or grey beards and long hair. Uniformed police officers in khaki stand at left and watch the crowd. Behind them an ornate pink gateway bears a painted banner with Shiva, a seated saint and temple imagery, with the lettering Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani. Another banner reads Swagat Vandan Abhinandan. Devotees in orange and saffron clothing and onlookers in casual clothes line the path under a clear blue sky.2016-04-22Night procession photo at a Kumbh-style event. In the foreground a bearded ascetic with grey hair and beard, his face and raised arm smeared with white ash, wears a dense garland of yellow-orange marigolds over his bare shoulders and chest and raises one hand high. Beside him, two more bare-chested men with ash-smeared bodies and marigold garlands walk through the crowd. Behind them a brightly lit, multi-tiered structure with pink and orange lights and a large illuminated sign glows against the dark sky. Onlookers and a person in a green safety vest stand in the background.2016-05-21