India. Uttar Pradesh state. Allahabad. Maha Kumbh Mela. A group of Sanyasins dressed with orange clothes and turban gather at night in Sangam. One man reads a book about Shiva. The Kumbh Mela, believed to be the largest religious gathering is held every 12 years on the banks of the 'Sangam'- the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Sannyasa is the life stage of the renouncer within the Hindu religion. It is considered the topmost and final stage of the ashram systems and is traditionally taken by men over fifty or by young monks who wish to renounce worldly and materialistic pursuits and dedicate their lives to spiritual pursuits. People in this stage of life develop a state of dispassion and detachment from material life, renouncing worldly thoughts and desires in order to spend the remainder of their lives in spiritual contemplation. A member of the sannyasa order is known as a sannyasin (male) or sannyasini (female). The Maha (great) Kumbh Mela, which comes after 12 Purna Kumbh Mela, or 144 years, is always held at Allahabad. Uttar Pradesh (abbreviated U.P.) is a state located in northern India. 11.02.13 © 2013 Didier Ruef