A photograph of a naked ascetic performing a deep forward-bending yoga posture, head bowed to the ground on a brown-and-orange patterned mat on sandy earth. The figure's body is ash-smeared and sun-darkened, with a thin knotted rope or cord wrapped around the waist and a white cloth near the hips. Smoldering cow-dung cakes lie on the ground around the mat, with smoke drifting across the frame. - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

A photograph of a naked ascetic performing a deep forward-bending yoga posture, head bowed to the ground on a brown-and-orange patterned mat on sandy earth. The figure's body is ash-smeared and sun-darkened, with a thin knotted rope or cord wrapped around the waist and a white cloth near the hips. Smoldering cow-dung cakes lie on the ground around the mat, with smoke drifting across the frame.

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A photograph of a nude ascetic performing an inverted yoga posture on a reddish-brown patterned mat on sandy ground scattered with dark charred clumps. The figure's body is folded upside down with head down and one leg raised high, a thin tan rope tied around the waist and hips. A small white cloth lies nearby, and wisps of smoke drift across the frame. A small purple emblem with a white bird appears at the upper left.

A photograph of a nearly naked ascetic with a body smeared in ash, bent forward in a full prostration with his forehead touching a striped woven mat on sandy ground. A yellow rope is wrapped around his waist and a white cloth covers his lower body. Scattered smoldering embers and charcoal pieces lie on the ground, and a steel tumbler and tongs rest at lower right. A bamboo pole stands at the left edge. No one is identifiable as a person from visible cues.

A photograph of a naked ascetic performing a deep forward-bending yoga posture on a woven orange-and-brown mat on bare ground at the Kumbh Mela. His forehead rests on the mat, his buttocks raised, and a thin yellow cord with knots is wrapped around his waist. Scattered blackened cow-dung cakes and smouldering ash lie on the ground around him, with a small metal cup and a pair of sticks at the lower right. Bamboo poles and a cloth tent edge appear at the left. No a person candidate is visible.

A photograph of a naked ascetic performing a yoga posture, head down on a leopard-print cloth and one leg raised high in the air. A thin yellow rope is tied around his waist and hips, and the body is covered in grey ash. Around him are scattered smouldering dung cakes and small flames on the bare ground, with a metal cup and tongs nearby. No other people are visible.

A photograph of a nude ascetic performing an inverted yoga posture, standing on his head on a leopard-print cloth with his legs raised vertically. Ropes bind his waist and arms, one rope secured to a bamboo frame. Around him lie circular dark ash rings on the ground, smoking embers, a small metal cup, a folded white cloth and a bag. Behind is a yellow tarpaulin tent on bamboo poles at an open camp site.

A photograph of an ascetic performing a headstand, a yoga posture, on a rust-red patterned mat on dusty ground at the Kumbh Mela. His body is grey-ash coated and bare, with a rope tied around his upper thigh and hip, and his head rests on the mat with one hand touching the ground. Scattered dark charred cow-dung cakes and wisps of smoke lie around him. In the background, a crowd of standing people in white dhotis and saffron cloth, and a bamboo pole, are visible.

A photograph of an ash-smeared sadhu performing a headstand-style yoga posture on a patterned brown and orange rug at a Kumbh Mela camp. His legs are crossed and raised above him, with his feet interlocked, and he is tied at the waist with a rope that is strung between two lines. Smoke rises from small fires and a ring of burnt ash on the ground around him. Behind him stands a yellow tent with a red emblem, and nearby are a green canvas bag, a folded white cloth, a steel cup and tongs. No a person candidate is visible.

A photograph of a nude sadhu performing an inverted headstand (sirsasana-like posture) on an orange and brown leopard-print mat at a Kumbh Mela camp. His legs point straight up, one leg bent, and a rope is tied around his waist and tied to a horizontal line. Yellow tarpaulin tents and bamboo poles form the backdrop, and circular ash-ringed fire pits smoulder on the ground around him. A metal cup, a bundled white cloth and a bag sit nearby. Only one person is visible; no portrait or other figure of a person appears in the scene.

A photograph of a sadhu performing a headstand (sirsasana-like inverted yoga) on a brown leopard-print mat in an open camp at the Kumbh Mela. He is naked except for a white cloth tied around his waist and a rope bound around his body, legs raised straight up and head down on the mat. Smoke rises from small fires and blackened ash rings on the dusty ground, with yellow tarpaulin tents and bamboo poles behind him. A loose white cloth bundle, a metal pot and tongs lie nearby, and a rope is strung across the scene. No a person candidate is visible.

A photograph of an ascetic performing a headstand yoga posture on a leopard-print mat in a smoky outdoor camp. His legs are crossed and locked above his head, with a white cloth tied around his lower body and a rope wrapped around his waist, and two taut ropes stretch horizontally behind him. Around him lie blackened fire-pit ashes, a metal cup, a metal tool, a folded white cloth and a canvas bag. A yellow tent canvas forms the background.

A photograph of an unclothed sadhu performing a headstand inverted yoga posture on a patterned leopard-print mat outdoors at a Kumbh Mela camp. His legs are raised and crossed in the air, held by a rope tied around his waist and a white cloth tucked at his hip. Yellow tarpaulin shelters and bamboo poles stand behind him, and a smouldering fire pit with ash-rimmed circles sits nearby. A steel tumbler, a small brass cup, a metal tool and a bundle of cloth lie on the ground beside him.