Ancient, painstaking recipe of Naga sadhus' sacred ash

The best of sandalwood paste, good quality wood and cleanest of the wood ash are used in the process

- K Sandeep Kumar

MAHAKUMBH NAGAR (PRAYAGRAJ): Before the Amrit Snans, every Naga ascetic takes great care in beautifying himself for the ritual and the key ingredient of this is the sacred 'Bhaboot' or ash.

While most may believe that the ash is directly applied on the body from the various sacred mini-bonfires or dhuni that these sadhus have before their abodes, it is not so.

The ash that the Naga sadhus smear on their bodies before all important ceremonies, including the amrit snans during Mahakumbh, is prepared painstakingly. The method used is an ancient one, said Swami Hari Giri, the secretary of Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad (Hari Giri faction) and a patron of Shri Panch Dasnaam Juna Akhada.