This is a picture of young Naga Sadhu novice , and they ere at the Holy Bath known as the Shahi Snan at the Sangam or the confluence of three rivers Ganga Jamuna Saraswati..
As I was with the Naga Sadhus dressed as a Sadhu I had clear access to the greatest moment in a Hindu devotees life and the euphoria of the naked Naga Sadhus is unimaginable ..
The worlds best photographers , photojournalists were here shooting the making of History .
And mind you if you are a travel photographer and if you have not shot the Kumbh than you are missing something.
To be this close to the Naga Sadhus is my cosmic destiny , God gave me access , and added a texture too my own spirituality that values respects all diverse faith at that moment behind the camera I was not a Muslim but a Naga Sadhu personified .
My Naga Guru from Juna Akhada was the kotwal, the Naga Police and so I stayed behind him , but honestly I think I wiill be more comfortable at the Nasik Kumbh as it is closer home and in my own state of Maharashtra.
I had one of the best Kumbhs I was barefeet , and most of the Naga Babas respected me as they knew I was a Malang of a Sufi order and some had met me at the Naik Kumbh at Trimbakeshwar..
I met a lot of old friends , familiar faces , Mr Raghu Rai was there I shot his pictures too..My nephew who works for Reuters a brilliant photographer Adnan Abidi was there too ,Flickr photographers like Shubh Singh and many more .
I could have hung out shooting pictures but I decided to move out of this glorious
sands of time with my Naga Guru, I was under his protection and I only shot what I was destined to shoot nothing more nothing less .
I have copied a page from the net for those who want to know more about the Maha Kumbh ..
The Greatest Event this side of the planet in the Land of Mysticism and Dreams India.
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The Kumbh Mela in India is as mesmerizing as it is spiritual. This ancient northern Indian festival is a meeting of mystical minds. The largest religious gathering in the world, the Kumbh Mela brings Hindu holy men together to discuss their faith and disseminate information about their religion. It's attended by millions of people each day.
The Mela takes place on a rotational basis in four of the most holy Hindu places in India -- on the banks of the Godavari river in Nashik (Maharastra), the Shipra river in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), the Ganges river in Haridwar (Uttarakhand), and convergence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers in Allahabad/Prayag (Uttar Pradesh).
When is the Kumbh Mela Held
In each location once every 12 years. Theoretically, it should happen every three years in a different place. However, the exact time and place of the festival depends on astrological and religious considerations. This means that the Mela sometimes happens only a year apart at the different sites.
There is also a Maha Kumbh Mela, which is held once every 12 years. In between, in the sixth year, the Ardh Kumbh Mela (half mela) takes place as well.
The Maha Kumbh Mela is considered to be the most auspicious mela. It always occurs in Allahabad, as the confluence of the rivers there is considered to be particularly holy. The Ardh Kumb Mela occurs in both Allahabad and Haridwar.
What is the Legend Behind the Kumbh Mela
Kumbh means pot or pitcher. Mela means festival or fair. Hence, the Kumbh Mela means festival of the pot. It specifically relates to the pot of nectar in Hindu mythology.
Legend has it that the gods once lost their strength. In order to regain it, they agreed with the demons to churn the primordial ocean of milk for amrit (the nectar of immortality). This was to be shared equally between them. However, a fight broke out, which went on for 12 human years. During the battle, the celestial bird, Garuda, flew away with the Kumbh that held the nectar. Drops of nectar are believed to have fallen in the places that the Kumbh Mela is now held -- Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain.
The Sadhus at the Kumbh Mela
The sadhus and other holy men are an integral part of the Mela. Pilgrims who attend it come to see and listen to these men, in order to gain spiritual enlightenment.
There are various types of sadhus:
Nagas -- naked sadhus who smear their bodies with ash and have long matted hair. Constant exposure to the weather makes them resistant to temperature extremes. Their eyes are bloodshot from constantly smoking charas (marijuana), which they believe aids enlightenment.
Urdhwavahurs -- who have emaciated bodies from rigid spiritual practices.
Parivajakas -- who have taken a vow of silence.
Shirshasinse -- who remain standing, sleep with their heads resting on a vertical pole, and meditate standing on their heads.
Kalpvasis -- who remain by the river banks and devote their time to meditating, performing rituals, and bathing numerous times a day.
What Rituals are Performed at the Kumbh Mela
The main ritual is the ritual bath. Hindus believe that submerging themselves in the sacred waters on the most auspicious day of the new moon will absolve them and their ancestors of sin, thus ending the cycle of rebirth. Pilgrims start lining up to bathe from around 3 a.m. on this day.
As the sun comes up, the different groups of sadhus move in procession towards the river to bathe. The Nagas usually lead, while each group tries to outdo the others with more grandeur and fanfare. The moment is magical, and everyone is absorbed in it.
After bathing, the pilgrims wear fresh clothes and proceed to worship by the river bank. They then walk around listening to discourses from the various sadhus.
courtesy
goindia.about.com/od/festivalinformation/a/kumbh-mela-ind...
