Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A large crowd of naked and near-naked sadhus with ash-smeared bodies and long matted hair fills a barricaded lane at the Kumbh Mela, with many carrying saffron flags and an orange ceremonial umbrella. Devotees in saffron and white clothing press against yellow metal barriers, and red flags bearing an image of a bearded holy man are raised among the crowd. Behind them stand colourful tents and banners, and a yellow banner at left reads partly as Sanatan, while a red flag at right carries a portrait. Some people are seated or standing on a white vehicle at left. The scene looks like a procession of akhada sadhus during the Shahi Snan.

More like this

Open the gallery
April 22 20162016-04-22Crowded outdoor scene at a Kumbh Mela shahi snan procession, with many naked and ash-smeared sadhus packed behind yellow metal barricades. Many have matted long hair, long grey and white beards, rudraksha malas and orange or red cloth, some holding staffs, tridents and a yellow flag. Beside them, devotees in orange and white clothes wear event lanyards. A white car and police officer appear at the top edge, and a yellow umbrella is visible at the right. Dense crowd of over a hundred people.2016-04-22May 09th 20162016-05-09April 22 20162016-04-22A large outdoor procession moves down a tree-lined road as a dense crowd of devotees presses behind golden barricades on the right, many raising phones to photograph. Ahead, saffron-robed sannyasis and white-clad devotees walk beneath a row of ornate yellow and orange umbrellas, while red flags on tall poles lead the way. A bare-chested man in white dhoti and a saffron-clad figure walk near the front. Above the crowd, a decorated float or palanquin carries a deity murti adorned with garlands and flowers under a canopy. Roadside banners, flags and signboards line the street, and a blue circular sign hangs on a pole at upper left.2016-05-09A dense outdoor procession at a Kumbh Mela-style festival, with a large crowd pressed against yellow metal barriers. On the left, many naked or near-naked ascetics with ash-smeared bodies and long hair crowd forward, one man in white undergarments leaping over the barrier. On the right, a golden ornate ratha/palanquin carries a seated figure in orange and gold garments garlanded with flowers, beneath a gold canopy with a kalasha finial. Around it, people in white dhotis and orange clothing walk alongside, and uniformed police in khaki and high-visibility vests line the route. Red and orange flags, a green-and-gold umbrella, and banners fill the scene, with tents and trees behind.2016-05-21A dense crowd fills a street during a procession at the Ujjain Kumbh Mela. In the centre, a richly decorated golden palanquin with a gilded canopy and floral garlands is carried forward; a seated figure in orange and red garments with a red headdress sits on it, and attendants in white stand around. Many ascetics with bare, ash-smeared bodies and long matted hair walk in the crowd, some carrying tridents. Red flags and a green-and-gold umbrella are visible, and a large golden barrier fence lines the road. Banners and posters with portrait images hang from stalls on the left.2016-05-21May 09th 20162016-05-09May 21 20162016-05-21April 22 20162016-04-22May 21 20162016-05-21Photo of a dense crowd at a Kumbh Mela procession. A raised golden palanquin-style platform, decorated with flower garlands and a gilded canopy, carries a seated figure in red and gold robes wearing a red headdress. Beside the platform, an attendant in orange cloth stands. Crowds of mostly white-clad devotees and many ash-smeared sadhus with bare upper bodies press behind golden metal barricades. Red and orange flags rise above the throng, and a green patterned umbrella is held in the foreground. Uniformed police officers and volunteers in yellow vests keep order. Vendor stalls and banners line the street.2016-05-21