
Wandering through the cities and forests of Nepal are the holy men who have left all materialistic pleasures behind to live a life devoted to God.

The appearances of the Sadhus vary from brightly coloured face paints and decorations, to minimalistic practical clothing, but they all represent the fundamental values and meanings of Hinduism.

Danish photographer Jan Møller Hansen visited the ancient capital city of Kathmandu between 2013 and 2016 and documented the mysterious holy wanderers.

A man wearing a turban and donning a huge beard mimics his own pose by holding up each end of his impressive facial hair

Bearded holy man with brightly-coloured decorative face (left) and a man with dreadlocks and long fingernails smoking (right)

A holy man with a beehive-style hairdo and white paint decorating his hands and brow holding a radio in Kathmandu

Four men dressed in loose, orange clothing sit inside a bricked building in Nepal surrounded by flowers and trinkets

A man in a wheelchair wearing a leopard-print blanket and matching turban writing in a book next to a squatting comrade

A man with enormous dreadlocks all the way down to the ground holds up a hand (left) and another Nepalese holy man

Two men sit near a bell outside a building with all their possessions as they embark on their latest journey in the country

He said: 'The Sadhus are travelling through cities, villages and forests, sleeping in temples, under trees by riverbanks or wherever they can find a suitable place to rest.

'They wander between different holy places, which typically are sites with Hindu temples or confluences of rivers that are regarded as powerful sites.

'During the famous celebrations of the Shiva Rati festival at the Pashupathinath temple in Kathmandu, the Nepalese government, for example, will pay the Sadhus a daily allowance and provide them with food, drinks and ensure that their visit and stay will be enjoyable.

'They have a lot of cultural meaning to many people.'

Dressed in a huge pink hat to contain his dreadlocks, a man sits with a red, spear-shaped decorative mark on his face

Holy woman dressed in a traditional headpiece (left) and a man wearing half a dozen beads and a leopard-print turban (right)

A holy man completely covered in decorative make-up poses for the camera with his dreadlocks tied up above his head

A man smiles with thick, white decorating face starting on the bridge of the nose and working its way up to the forehead

A man wearing a jacked holds up his thick, long dreadlocks (left) and one of his comrades decorated with flowers (right)

Leaning on a swing chair in Kathmandu, overlooking what appears to be a temple a Sadhu contemplates another move

A topless holy man leans on his elbow and is partially wrapped in a blanket in Kathmandu, Nepal

Despite the respect they receive from locals, being a Sadhu is a challenging life choice and requires a large amount of dedication.

The photographer said: 'The Sadhus have left the material and ordinary life behind in favour of an alternative community devoted to God.

'I find that fascinating. But don't be mistaken - it is a tough life.

'You live from day to day, are vulnerable and depend a lot on others' kindness.

'As a Sadhu, you might not always be treated well either.

'I guess it requires a lot of strength and courage to become and live like a Sadhu.'