
Thousands of devotees jostle behind bamboo fences to get a glimpse of the grand procession of the naked, ash-smeared and armed Hindu holy men. The Naga Sadhus are the highlight of the Maha Kumbh festival, the world's largest religious gathering now underway in northern India.
Worshipers jump over the barriers, running past police and paramilitary personnel, to seek the blessings of the holy men.