The Aghori tribe often practices nudity, uses human skulls as cups, decapitates living animals, and meditates on corpses.
The Aghori tribe in Varanasi lives in cremation grounds (believed to be inhabited by the god Shiva and the goddess Kali Ma) and consuming human flesh is part of their ritual. This tribe uses human skulls as cups, decapitates living animals, and meditates on corpses to achieve enlightenment. Additionally, the Aghori smear ashes from cremated bodies on their skin.
The Aghori are an ancient, enigmatic group in India. Members of the Aghori sect often paint their faces with white powder and wear multiple strands of beads around their necks.
“They are surrounded by a veil of mystery; Indians fear them and believe they can predict the future, walk on water, and perform malevolent prophecies,” shared photographer Ostinelli, who captured a series of images showcasing this unique tribe.
The tribe uses human skulls as cups, decapitates living animals, and meditates on corpses to achieve enlightenment.
The Aghori monks use cannabis, alcohol, and meditation to reach a state of awakening and to connect with the Hindu god Shiva.
The Aghori believe that by engaging in practices deemed taboo by others, they can attain enlightenment.
In India, the deceased are typically cremated, and their ashes are scattered in the Ganges River. However, some bodies are disposed of without cremation. The Aghori collect these uncremated bodies and use them in their spiritual enlightenment rituals. They consume the flesh and create altars from these corpses.
The Aghori also smear ashes from cremated bodies on their skin.
This lore is further reinforced by their habit of living in graveyards and cremation grounds, places steeped in a morbid atmosphere. The Aghori shun material possessions and often practice nudity as a means to detach from mundane illusions and to express the human body in its purest form.
Aghori monks believe that power comes from the realm of the dead. They consider themselves the lowest caste in society, often dressing in rags and having unkempt hair. They also view nudity as a purifying act to transcend the mundane and attain spiritual enlightenment.
Despite their fearsome appearance, the Aghori are actually very compassionate. They have established shelters for those afflicted with leprosy, caring for and treating hundreds of thousands of patients.
Today’s Aghori trace their origins back to the 17th century, with the founder being Baba Kinaram. Kinaram followed the sect of Sant Mat and is believed to have lived to 170 years old. Anyone in India can join the Aghori sect, but it takes up to 12 years to learn their doctrines.
