In Pictures: Dread, bath and beyond at the 2015 Kumbh Mela

Shell of a time: A Vaishnavaite ascetic plays the conch on day two of the Kumbh Mela. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

Getting on a high horse: The arrival of sadhus at any Kumbh is marked by the Peshwai procession. Seen here are two handlers attempting to bring a horse under control as passersby look on. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

A sanyasi from the Juna Akhara  dressed up as Shiva in Nashik. Juna Akhara has the largest number of naga sadhus, followed by the Niranjani and Mahanirvani akharas. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

Cop shop: Two policemen and a naga sadhu share a light moment during the Simhastha Kumbha Mela Nashik-Trimbakeshwar 2015. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

Renunciation is a pivotal part of a sadhu or sanyasin’s life and requires the adherent to shun all forms of ‘material upkeep’. Seen here is a Shaivaite saint from the Mahanirvani sect displaying his long fingernails. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

(Early) morning glory: Naga sadhus from the Shree Shambhu Panch Darshan Juna Akhara – or Juna Akhara (‘Ancient Circle’) – arrive for the first Shahi Snaan on August 29. While most Vaishnavaite sadhus take the holy dip at sunrise, Shaivaite saints prefer lining up at 3:00-3:30am or before Brahma muhurta (4:24-5:11am). Juna Akhara is always the first to step into the holy waters on account of being the oldest sect. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

Before the big leap: A group of sadhus at the second Shahi Snaan await their turns to be anointed as naga sadhus after undergoing mass head tonsuring and several initiation rites. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

A naga sadhu at the second Shahi Snaan (September 13) takes a video of his fellow akhara saints immersed in prayer. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

Worth his weight in gold: One of the star attractions of the 2015 Nashik Kumbh Mela is ‘Golden Baba’, bedecked in a whopping 11.5kg of solid gold jewellery. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar

A sadhvi takes a dip in the Godavari with her sastra (weapon). Sastras such as swords, central to akhara culture, are worshipped and even purified in the holy rivers of the Kumbh Melas: Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati and Shipra. Image Credit: Hemant Padalkar