As the clock struck five Monday morning, heavily decked-up chariots, some in silver and gold, wound their way to the Sangam, with hundreds following in procession on foot, beating drums and blowing conch shells.
There was a mad frenzy in the foreign and national media, with photographers rushing to get winner shots of the naked, ash-smeared 'Naga' sadhus jumping into the chilly waters of the Ganges.
Before they did so, the sadhus danced and threw garlands at the press gallery in gay abandon, waving to hundreds of followers on the other side.
Carrying silver tridents, maces, axes and swords, some of the sadhus with flowing beards told IANS that they felt on top of the world as they "touched mother Ganges".
