Naked, ash-smeared Hindu ascetics take holy dips at the Maha Kumbh festival

Naked Hindu ascetics and pilgrims are taking holy dips in sacred rivers in the first major bathing day of the Maha Kumbh festival, which is the largest religious congregation on Earth. Holding tridents, swords and spears, ash-smeared Hindu holy men marched at sunrise Tuesday toward the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers. The men crowned with marigolds were escorted to the site on chariots in a large procession with singing and drumming. Nearly 400 million people are expected to participate in the festival over the next 45 days.