Mahakumbh mela: 1,800 sadhus to begin rituals to become Nagas at Prayagraj today

They are among the most striking spectacles of the Kumbh, and from today, over 1,800 sadhus will start the 48-hour ritual to be initiated as Nagas. 

Nagas do not form a different sect – they are Shaivites who worship Shiva in his 'aghor' form. Though the word 'aghor' means 'that which is not difficult', but,  following that path requires complete renunciation of the world, and one starts this life by performing own funerary rituals. And in doing so, one transcends all that is ‘ghor’ or dark.

Nagas emerge only during special occasions like the Kumbh, then retire to the caves or forests where they spend their time in meditation and prayer. To become a Naga, through whichever akhara one is a part of, the first step is to be celibate for at least a decade. In some akharas, the requirement is even more. 

The initiation process begins with prayers under the dharm dhwaj of the akhara. To be a Naga, there must be at least five gurus who will guide the sadhu through the journey. The next step is to go to the Ganga and take 108 dips in the water. This is followed by more prayers and a vijay (victory) hawan. The five gurus offer different gifts, like rudraksha beads to the aspirant. 

There is always the option to choose between being a Digambar (one who is clad only in the sky) or to wear a loin cloth. For the following 24 hours, these aspirants will have neither food nor water. The sadhu will also have to host a feast for others in the interim. 

After that, the gurus will cut off the chotti (a tuft of hair at the back of the head). This is the kind of tuft which is sported by most sadhus and pandits. It is the last cutting of hair that a Naga is permitted. 

The last step is the destruction of the power of the genitals of the sadhu. This is done in secrecy and through recitation of such shlokas that can destroy sexual prowess. 

After this one becomes a Naga – one who will beg for food all his life and have no possessions. A Naga will decorate his body with 17 elements that include sandalwood paste, tilak (vermillion mark on the forehead), kajal, bhasm (ash), and marigold flowers. In addition, a Naga might carry a pair of chimtas (tong), have iron kadas (bracelets) on arms and ankles and also have a damru (power drum). 

Once a Naga, a sadhu will not bow to anyone except a saint. The highest number of Naga sadhus are in the Juna akhara and it is in this akhara that the initiation ritual will begin, followed by the Niranjani and the Mahanirvani akharas.