From the different orders of Sadhus come a diversity of beliefs and practices. Hinduism has two main branches. There are devotees who worship Vishnu and those who worship Shiva. (Vishnu temples have yellow flags and Shiva temples have red ones, seen at the mela camps too)

The worship of Vishnu, the Preserver, includes a practice of chanting and fire sacrifice. They offer grains, ghee (clarified butter), incense, and water to appease Vishnu. There are several different incarnations of Vishnu including: Krishna, Rama, and Narayana.

The term "Brahmin" does not refer to those who worship Brahma, rather, it indicates a class of educators and priests. Brahma is not worshiped as an individual God, but as an aspect of the Hindu Trinity.

Siva has many forms- the mystic yogi, the dancer surrounded by a ring of fire, or the lover embracing his consort, Shakti. The formless aspect of Siva is worshiped as a lingam, or egg-shaped stone. The worship of Siva in his formless state is done as a ritual using bells, chanting, and for the more extreme few, the daily smoking of hashish. Shiva's son is Ganesh who is known as the God of new beginnings and the remover of obstacles.

Known as Yogis, these Sadhus are known for their great strength and discipline. They may practice some forms of yoga up to twenty hours a day, however, it may not be the physical exercises that we think of as yoga. Hatha, the yoga of postures, is the yoga we are most familiar with. Jnana is the yoga of scriptural knowledge. Bhakti is the yoga of devotion and emotion. While yoga requires physical concentration, meditation is used to calm the mind. Taking on a "sadhana", or discipline is common to spiritual practice. In extreme cases, this may involve undergoing severe austerities such as standing on one leg, remaining in constant motion, or taking a vow of silence. While some of these acts are difficult and even painful, other sadhanas are purely joyous. The acts of these individuals often seem amazing to us, however Indians see it as a way to express their devotion. Chanting "MANTRAS" (sacred words) with beads, directly read from the "VEDAS", is practiced in Bhakti yoga along with "puja" or ritualistic offerings to the Hindu Gods. Many of their basic rituals include elements of fire and water. Waving a flame or bathing a diety, lighting incense (sometimes smoking hashish in chillums is also practiced, although the Babas smoking at the Mela are a very small portion of the event. Perhaps only 5% of the Shiva monks do this and none of the Vishnu monks do at all).

Yogis are known to perform great acts of physical and mental strength, often drawing upon sources of knowledge and experience gained through both physical and metaphysical experience. The enormous grace of their acts gains them respect and love from everyone they meet. Performing their yoga with truth and sincerity presents them with a grace and power, as if from beyond, to perform feats of levitation, prophecy, and healing. Together, these practices form the basis for a holy and dedicated way of life. It is a life from which turmoil is absent. As if shielded by a great cloud, these monks still retain many of their pure ways of living and believing. In performing these acts of worship, these Sadhus and Yogis hope to master themselves and their desires. This way of life provides the spiritual sustenance needed to attain wisdom. Those few who achieve this may choose to become teachers, or they may choose the solitary life of a hermit.