This is where millions of Indian Hindus are heading in the next six weeks - to bathe in one of the holiest places on earth at one of the most auspicious times. They'll also enjoy an amazing show. For days now, the different religious orders have been staging processions to mark their arrival. Holy men in saffron robes and fake fur jackets sit on gold thrones, carried shoulder high. Marching bands and ear splitting speaker systems are a permanent refrain.
Holy men ride by on elephants or camels.
And drawing most stares of all, troupes of stark naked holy men, or nagas, march along defiantly - smeared with ash and precious little else. Or indeed the holy man who gave public demonstrations to show he could wrap his penis round a large stick. This Kumbh is described as the first to be actively marketed to foreign tourists. The authorities proudly call this the first hi-tech Kumbh too. They've set up cyber cafes around the site so pilgrims can get information from the official website.