By Katy Winter A sea of vibrant colour enveloped the mythical Saraswati river at Allahabad as the crowds descended for the Kumbh Mela festival, among them, thousands of holy men and those young people hoping to be initiated into this ancient section of Indian society. The Kumbh Mela, the mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river, takes place every three years, switching between four cities, with last year’s event in Allahabad attracting more than 100 million pilgrims, making it the biggest gathering of humans in history. Now a stunning set of pictures taken by photographer Eric Lafforgue, has opened a rare window into the complex and often hidden world of the religion's holy men or Sadhus who attend the festival.
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The Kumbh Mela is a Hindu pilgrimage to the city of Allahabad which takes place every three years
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Last year's festival saw 100 million pilgrims traveling to bathe in the Saraswati river which runs through the city
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Thousands of Sadhus or holy men also join them, with many more attending to be initiated into the austere holy life
Those who are already initiated spend the 55 days of the @placeholder blessing believers who come to pray for money, health or for their sins to be cleansed.