Naga Sadhus are a group of Shaivite saints. They mostly reside in the Himalayan Caves. They comes to public only during the Kumbh Mela. This is the only event when these ascetic saints can be seen amongst the general Indian population.
They are the followers of Lord Shiva. They hold tridents crowned with human skulls. Their bodies are smeared in thick ash and they wear heavy coils of matted hair on the head. They don’t wear clothes even when it is shivering chilling cold that’s why they are called as Nagas (naked). Not only male Nagas but also female Nagas exist in India. Becoming a female Naga Sadhu is not easy.
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Women have to abandon their families and society. They have to renounce the materialistic world and practice celibacy to escape from the cycle of birth and death. A woman has to show that she is a complete devotee of God.
They have to shave their heads before becoming a Naga Sannyasi and later the head bath is done in the river. Then they become equal to male Naga Sadhus.
There is only one difference in female and male naga sadhus. Female Naga sadhus are made to cover themselves with yellow cloth. They are not allowed to bathe naked and hence they have to use that yellow cloth while bathing as well. When a woman becomes a naga sadhu, then all the priests in her group start calling her Mata.
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