Holy waters, sacred ash

Holy waters, sacred ash

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Hundreds of thousands of Hindu faithful including ash-smeared holy men gather in the Indian city of Nashik on the banks of the Godavari River, as devotees from all walks of life bathe in the holy waters.

Kumbh Mela, or Pitcher Festival, is celebrated in four different Indian cities over a period of 12 years. This time round pilgrims congregate in Nashik, in the western state of Maharashtra.

. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Hindu faithful, sadhus or holy men among them, gather to pray in the water and cleanse themselves of sin.

Kumbh Mela is rooted in the Hindu belief that Vishnu fought with demons for a golden pot containing the nectar of immortality. Four drops fell to earth in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujain and Nashik.

Pilgrims take ritual grand baths, or Shahi Snan, during auspicious planetary alignments. Believers say spiritual energy flows to earth while they plunge in the water.

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A Naga sadhu, or a Hindu holy man, applies ash before a procession.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

A Naga sadhu, or a Hindu holy man, applies ash before a procession.

Hindu holy men wait inside their camp before a procession.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Hindu holy men wait inside their camp before a procession.

A Naga Sadhu arrives at his makeshift tent outside a temple.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

A Naga Sadhu arrives at his makeshift tent outside a temple.

Sadhus sit on a chariot.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Sadhus sit on a chariot.

Holy men arrive at a camp before a procession.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Holy men arrive at a camp before a procession.

Devotees wait for the start of a procession.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Devotees wait for the start of a procession.

Musicians rest as they wait to take part in a parade.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Musicians rest as they wait to take part in a parade.

A devotee, dressed as the Hindu deity Shiva, waits to participate in a parade.
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

A devotee, dressed as the Hindu deity Shiva, waits to participate in a parade.

A Hindu holy men pray on the banks of the Godavari River.
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

A Hindu holy men pray on the banks of the Godavari River.

Sadhus are controlled by police as they arrive to take a dip in the Godavari River.
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Sadhus are controlled by police as they arrive to take a dip in the Godavari River.

Hindu devotees pray on the banks of the Godavari.
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Hindu devotees pray on the banks of the Godavari.

A boy cries as he is placed in the Godavari River by his relatives.
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

A boy cries as he is placed in the Godavari River by his relatives.

A Sadhu, or Hindu holy man, gets out of the Godavari River after taking a dip during the first "Shahi Snan" (grand bath).
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

A Sadhu, or Hindu holy man, gets out of the Godavari River after taking a dip during the first "Shahi Snan" (grand bath).

Devotees stand near an idol of the Hindu elephant god Ganesha.
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Devotees stand near an idol of the Hindu elephant god Ganesha.

A Hindu devotee leaves after taking a dip in the waters of the Godavari.
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

A Hindu devotee leaves after taking a dip in the waters of the Godavari.

Hindu devotees pray.
. Nashik, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Hindu devotees pray.

Sadhus, or Hindu holy men, give blessings to devotees during the second "Shahi Snan" (grand bath).
. Trimbakeshwar, India. Reuters/Danish Siddiqui

Sadhus, or Hindu holy men, give blessings to devotees during the second "Shahi Snan" (grand bath).