by Katy Winter
April 8, 2014
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• The Kumbh Mela is a Hindu pilgrimage to the city of Allahabad which takes place every three years
• Last year's festival saw 100 million pilgrims traveling to bathe in the Saraswati river which runs through the city
• Thousands of Sadhus or holy men also join them, with many more attending to be initiated into the austere holy life
A sea of vibrant colour enveloped the mythical Saraswati river at Allahabad as the crowds descended for the Kumbh Mela festival, among them, thousands of holy men and those young people hoping to be initiated into this ancient section of Indian society.
The Kumbh Mela, the mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river, takes place every three years, switching between four cities, with last year’s event in Allahabad attracting more than 100 million pilgrims, making it the biggest gathering of humans in history.
Now a stunning set of pictures taken by photographer Eric Lafforgue, has opened a rare window into the complex and often hidden world of the religion's holy men or Sadhus who attend the festival.
A Naga Sadhu smokes cannibis to expand his mind during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India last year
A young men becoming a Naga Sadhu in one of the thousands of ancient rituals that take place along the banks of the scared river Saraswati
Naga Sadhu In Juna Akhara, Maha Kumbh Mela, Allahabad, India
A young Sadhu spends his days blessing believers, who come and touch his feet as a sign of respect, and rubbing ceremonial ash on their foreheads
Sadhus must abandon all their material possessions and familial attachments, living a life of poverty housed in temples or caves, starting each day by bathing in cold water, and supported by donations by the devout
A Naga Sadhu with very long hair holds it above his head during the 55 day pilgrimage last year, which occurs every forth year at rotating locations
Recuits are shaven, their hair collected into a ball (right) and buried on the banks of the Ganges
Recruits are shaven, their hair collected into a ball (right) and buried on the banks of the Ganges to symbolise renouncing of their past life
Last year's event in Allahabad which drew 100 million pilgrims, making it the biggest gathering of humans in history
At 3am in the morning on the most important day for bathing in the Kambh Mela millions of pilgrims walk towards t he banks of the Ganges. The crowd must always be carefully managed to avoid stampedes
As well as a pilgrimage for the devoted, the Kumbha Mela provides an opportunity for young people to become a holy person and join the Sadhus; devoting their lives to achieving spiritual liberation - the final stage of life according to Hinduism.
Those pictured with skulls are known as the Aghori; an intense type of Sadhu who venture far beyond austerity and make it their life's work to overcome taboos, whether by meditating over corpses or even, occasionally, eating human flesh.
Others show their allegiance to Hinduism by wearing saffron-yellow longhis (tunics) if they happen to be a devotee of Shiva or yellow and white for Vishnu, and paint their faces with sacred scenes and symbols.
Sadhus must abandon all their material possessions and familial attachments, living a life of poverty housed in temples or caves, starting each day by bathing in cold water, and supported by donations by the devout.
Important: A pilgrim stands holding a pot of water taken from the Ganges River - one of the holiest places on the planet for people of the Hindu faith
A child at the Kumbh Mela festival
A future Sadhu photographed at Kumbh Mela
Faces of the festival: The huge three-yearly event attracts hordes of pilgrims such as this girl (left) and future Sadhus like this boy (right)
Looking good: Naga Sadhu, one of the babas at the Kumbh Mela festival, poses in a pair of dark sunglasses for photographer Eric Lafforgue
All too much! A female attendee sleeps on bare boards in the middle of the camp while the Kumbh Mela celebrations continue around her
Sadhu Amar Bharati, who has been holding his arm up for 38 years, is one of the many fakirs who flock to the Kumbh Mela to collection donations
This fakir remains inside a thorn bush all day, blessing and praying over the faithful, in an extreme act of devotion seen by some Sadhu
A Sacred Cow with five legs is displayed to the millions of pilgrims who attended the festival in Allahabad
Devotion: A man shows off his passion for his faith as he breaks into a spontaneous dance during the Kumbh Mela celebrations in Allahabad
Sacred: One of the most important parts of the festival for pilgrims is having the chance to take a dip in the sacred Ganges River
Their quest for spirituality is helped along by smoking cannabis; the scent of which hangs heavy over the Kumbh Mela celebrations as the Sadhus, who are widely respected throughout India, gear up for the the rituals which include bathing in the river.
But not every Sadhu completes the same ritual: Hindu worship includes a wide variety of different devotions, depending on the origin of the Sadhu and the guru with whom they trained.
While some adopt a life of solitary wandering, others live in communities. Others are known for particular practices, such as the Black Sadhu who, due to their association with the rituals of death are often feared and rumoured to eat human flesh.
The fakir, meanwhile, engage in dramatic displays of devotion to their faith, performing feats of endurance such as holding their hand above their head, or standing on one foot for years at a time
At the Kumbh Mela, thousands of recruits undergo initiation to become Sadhus, staying up all night in prayer and group meditation by the banks of the sacred river.
Chilly: Pilgrims continue to wander down to bathe in the river late into the night, although many choose to do so fully clothed
Washing: Although sacred, the Ganges is also used for everything from sourcing cooking water to washing saris such as these
Handy: Saris washed in the holy waters of the Ganges are then transferred to the roofs of considerably less sacred cars to dry
Prayer: A man prays as he takes a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahbad
A young 'black Sadhu' who takes care of cremations. They are rumoured to eat the human flesh of corpses (left), and a fakir who took a vow not to let his leg touch the ground for two years. Like others who undertake such extreme shows of faith, he is considered a living God by the pilgims
Naga Sadhu from Juna Akhara run down to the river to bath early in the morning. A Sadhu must begin everyday with a cold bathe before beginning the days chores
A sea of vibrant colour enveloped the mythical Saraswati river at Allahabad as the crowds descended, among them, thousands of holy men
An elephant with its tusks filed down, parades through the streets, ridden by three pilgrims who descended on Allahabad in last years Kumbh Mela
In their quest for liberation and religious illumination these holy men, who are revered throughout much of India, often engage in smoking cannabis or taking other drugs
Ahead of the celebrations, young Sadhu recruits are shaven and their hair rolled into a ball and buried on the banks of the Ganges to symbolise renouncing of their past life.
Those who are already initiated spend the 55 days of the Kumbha Mela blessing believers who come to pray for money, health or for their sins to be cleansed.
Visitors touch the Sadhu’s feet as a mark of resect and he blesses them, rubbing their foreheads with ceremonial ash, and recieving a donation from the pilgrims in return.
To house the millions of visitors, vast temporary camps are erected and as a result, as photographer Eric Lafforgue reveals, in lots of people getting lost in the crowds. ‘All day, loudspeakers blare out names and descriptions of people separated from their friends and family,' he reveals.
Ritual: A young reveller has his head shaved during Kumbh Mela celebrations in the Indian city of Allahabad
Pretty: A little girl wearing make-up designed to make her resemble the god Shiva during the Kumbh Mela celebrations in Allahbad
And he's off! A Naga Sadhu cycles past in a ceremonial saffron coloured scarf during the Kumbh Mela festival in the Indian city of Allahbad
Endurance: Many Sadhu perform feats of endurance like allowing their hair to grow very long or by standing on one leg for years in order to prove their devotion
