India Beat travelled along with 70 million other pilgrims to Haridwar to witness the Kumbh Mela which roughly translates as the Great Fair. Hindus from across the subcontinent gather once every 12 years on the banks of the river Ganges to perform absolutions and wash away the sins of a life time. Sadhus (Hindu holymen) gather in huge camps around the holy town of Haridwar led by their talismanic naga babas, the famous naked priests who forsake all possesions to follow the teachings of the Vedas. The sheer scale of the event is spectacular with literally millions of people everyday bathing on the ghats that lead from this temple rich town down to the Ganges.

To learn more about the Kumbh Mela click here or contact India Beat to visit the fair.