Sadhu pulls his ten-foot-long hair as he takes a holy dip during Magh Mela festival

 

Out of the thousands of Hindus gathered at the banks of northern India's Triveni Sangam, just outside of the city of Allahabad, one man stood out.

 

The Sadhu, or holy man, swung his ten-foot-long dreads through the air like heavy chains as he stood knee-deep in the cold river water wearing nothing but a pair of saffron briefs.

 

His dramatic display is part of the holy dip of Magh Mela, a lengthy festival with more than 1,000 years of history that celebrates the beginning of the universe and the holy site.

Note

Every 12 years, Magh Mela at Allahabad is celebrated as an even bigger festival - Kumbh Mela. And once every 144 years, there is a Maha Kumbh Mela.

The bigger festival attracts millions of bathers as they are considered more important dates.

In 2013, the last Maha Kumbh Mela, an estimated 100 million Hindus attended the festival.

For the Sadhus, who already live a life of relative poverty and celibacy, the festival is of particular importance.

During this time, they will take only one meal each day and spend much of their time praying.

Some will bathe daily and paint their body with ash. 

Triveni Sangam is also said to be one of the places where nectar of the gods dripped from a pitcher on to the earth as the demons fought the gods, making it a very holy site

 

 

Both men and women attend the festival. Pilgrims who come for the festival would camp along its banks each night, with some staying for the full duration