Sandra

The creative essence of Shiva is evident in the worship of the linga, phallus. The combination of linga and its embracing yoni, its female counterpart, like the union of man and woman, represents the creative seed and the nurturing womb-thus source from which all life springs in eternal enjoyment. This shaivite Sadhu wears a copper chastity belt and dreads wrapped in the form of a phallus sitting inside a yoni head base of sacred rudraksha beads. He plays brass cymbals and chants to Lord Shiva.



In meditation Sadhus immerse in thoughts of their deity reaching out in unconditional love for him. Worship is characterized by three aims: Satyam (truth ), Shivam (auspiciousness) and Sundaram (beauty).



Within the several-month period of the Khumbha mela there are auspicious bathing days, usually coinciding with festivals of the periods. Most important are the days for the shahisnan "royal bath", in which the saints, the naga Sadhus first, go in procession to the river. Even the leaders, Mahants of the various sub-sects of sadhus remove their clothes and brave the cold waters during the Khumbha Mela.



Shiva is a god of countless manifestations and a variety of forms, each famed for certain attributes, deeds and powers. It is from this vast array of symbolic forms encompassing all aspects of existence that the sadhu draws his knowledge and worships Shiva. Thus the paradox: each sadhu's quest is intensely individual and personal, yet their aspiration and goal are one: union with Shiva.



This fierce-looking sadhu from a Shaivite akhara, or militant sub-sect historically created to protect the scholarly sadhus, displays his sword and nag-phani, or serpent horn. Although these sadhus no longer engage in regular battles, they still proudly wield their weapons and will not hesitate to use them if pressed.



Vaishnava sadhu brothers proudly pose in their colors from head to belly. A langoti or loin cloth, and a narrow strip of cloth hangs from the waist-cord to conceal the genitals.



Yogis are easily identified by their dress, or lack of, and various accoutrements, one of the most prominent being the mala. Malas are strings of beads, usually totalling 108 that are used while reciting mantras, sacred words used to invoke the powers of the Gods and Goddesses. They can be made of a wide variety of materials such as semi-precious stone, ivory, glass, wood or seeds. The Vaishnava sect wears malas made of tulsai wood from the holy basil tree, while the Shaivas, such as the yogi in this photo, wears malas made of rudraksha seeds that come from the stone of a certain fruit.



This relatively young sadhu demonstrates a demanding hatha yoga posture from a series known as Kumasana/Supta Kurmasana. His right hand mudra shows the abhaya mudra meaning, having no fear.



A murti, or stone image, of the Hindu God Shiva, the ur-sadhu, his wife/consort Parvati and their faithful transport, Nandi the bull. The colored powder on the images is of the same type used by sadhus to create their bodily markings and shows, along with the flowers at the base, that they have been worshipped as living deities.



In the early morning on Shiva Ratri festival, women bathe at first light in the Bagmati River before entering the sacred Pashupatinath Temple. Hindu culture's modesty towards the female body dictates that clothing be left on while bathing. Male devotees can be seen bathing nearly naked and sadhus often go completely naked.