Carol Foote

Sadhus are holy men who live a life of spirituality and self-discipline. They dedicate their lives to achieving liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Sadhus gathered at Pashupatinath Temple. — Sadhus gathered at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. Carol Foote

I first became fascinated by Hindu holy men on a trip to Kathmandu in 2015. It was the time of the Maha Shivaratri Festival, which is held annually in honor of Lord Shiva, and many Sadhus from India and Nepal had made a pilgrimage to worship at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, one of the four most important religious sites in Asia for devotees of Shiva. In Hinduism, Sadhus, or Babas as they are often known, dedicate their lives to achieving moksha - a liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. Leading a life of spirituality and self-discipline, they leave their families, renounce all worldly goods and rely on charity to survive. With their saffron robes, painted faces and dreadlocks they make captivating subjects to document, but they are highly respected by Hindus and given food in return for their blessings and prayers.

It should be noted, though, that in popular tourist destinations there are those who will don the guise of a Sadhu in order to fleece visitors. Although Hindu ascetics may be broadly categorised into two groups – Shaiva who are devotees of Lord Shiva and Vaishnava who follow Vishnu - there are many subgroups. By far one of the most fascinating is the naked Naga Sadhus who instead of wearing clothes, smear their bodies with ash. They mostly reside in remote mountain areas or in monasteries called ashrams and are rarely seen.

In 2019 I was fortunate enough to be in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) for the Kumbh Mela – the world’s largest religious pilgrimage and bathing festival which is only held once every 12 years. The festival is one of the few opportunities to see the reclusive Naga Sadhus where they, and millions of the faithful, congregate to bathe in holy waters to provide atonement for past mistakes and cleanse themselves of their sins. I spent two weeks at this amazing festival wandering around the Sadhus’ camping grounds being blessed, given “mystical” powders to sprinkle on my body and photographing, of course, these intriguing ascetics.