Naga sadhus keep the flag of faith, fervour high

Prayagraj: Before the break of the dawn, smeared with ash and symbolising a complete renunciation of worldly possessions and desires, the presence of Naga sadhus on the banks of Triveni left devotees in awe.
Hundreds of Naga sadhus marched towards the Sangam Nose for the third and final ‘Amrit Snan' on the occasion of Basant Panchami. Armed with traditional weapons, smeared with ash (one of their 17 sringars), and forming a disciplined row, led by the deity of their respective akharas, the procession of 13 akharas became the centre of attraction.
Thousands of devotees were seen making videos, watching with admiration the display of weapon-handling with precision.
If the Naga sadhus symbolised that all the comforts of this world have to be left behind in union with the supreme God, the beautifully decorated chariots of the Mahamandeleshwar and Mandaleshwar of respective akharas showed the prosperity and richness of Indian traditions.
The rhythmic beats of ‘damru' (pellet drums) and the display of traditional combat techniques added to the grandeur of the show. The huge banners mentioning the names of the akharas and the senior seers kept the devotees well informed about the respective akharas. Not only devotees from within the country but even foreign disciples joined their gurus while taking Amrit Snan.
Many seers even humbly posed for pictures, both during the procession and while splashing enjoyably in the holy waters of Sangam, their long dreadlock giving the perfect click to hundreds of cameramen.
Along with male Naga Sadhus, a significant number of female sanyasis wearing saffron unstitched garments also participated in the procession.
Many devotees were seen taking the holy dip at different spots of the 12 km temporary stretch of ghats prepared by the mela administration.
Adding to the divine spectacle, the Yogi govt showered flowers from helicopters upon the crores of devotees who thronged the Sangam.
The floral showers, which began at 6.30am, continued throughout Amrit Snan, blessing saints, Naga sanyasis, and devotees. The atmosphere reverberated with sacred chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram' and ‘Har Har Mahadev'.