ascetic

While the holy bath is the main draw, the event is also a vibrant carnival of faith, where people from all walks of lives, including ascetics, politicians and celebrities, converge to celebrate.

Police struggled to manage the surging crowds at the festival on Tuesday as thousands managed to come into an arena meant for the ascetics.

For festival-goers, a major attraction is the presence of naked Naga sadhus, or ascetics, and it is a spectacle to watch as they hurl themselves into the icy waters.

It takes 10 steps through the constellations to find the landing place where protection can be lush, where luxury can feel ascetic, where beauty is monastic.

They tend to conjure images of monks meditating in the mountains or ascetics living in desert caves.