Gangasagar Mela is held at the month end of Makar ie, on the Makar Sankranti. Before that, all sadhus(sages) come into the gateway to Gangasagar ie.Babughat at the Bank of Ganges right in Kolkata.
From there they are sent into Ganga-Sagar Island by transport means by the government. I with my father went into the camp premises to glance some insight into the lifestyle and way of these Great Sacred Naga – Babas.
Naga Sadhus are a particular group of Shaivite saints who reside in the Himalayan Caves and come to visit the civilization only during the Kumbh Mela. This is the only event when these ascetic saints can be seen amongst the general Indian population.
The Naga Sadhus have unique characteristic features drawing inspiration from the famous Hindu god Shiva. They hold tridents crowned with human skulls. Their bodies are smeared in thick ash and they wear heavy coils of matted hair on the head. These saints remain completely naked even during biting cold. They smoke Marijuana through a pipe called a Chillum or Shiv Muli. They use it as a tool to avoid the worldly distraction yet have self-control even in the intoxicated state. But as they advance in spiritual life they renounce intoxication too. The Naga Sadhus renounce the materialistic world and practice celibacy to escape from the cycle of birth and death and to attend salvation. As they belong to the Shaivite sect, they have matted locks of hair and their bodies are covered in ash like Lord Shiva
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– Riju_97
Date:09th January,2018.
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