This Aghori tribe is often naked, uses human skulls as cups, bites off the heads of living animals and meditates on corpses.
The mysterious Varanasi Aghori tribe members live in cremation grounds (where Shiva and goddess Kali Ma are said to be) and cannibalism is a ritual for them. This tribe also uses human skulls as cups, bites off the heads of living animals and meditates on corpses to gain enlightenment. Not only that, the Aghori also smear their bodies with ashes from cremated corpses.
The Aghori are a mysterious ancient people in India. People of the tribe’s Aghori sect have the custom of applying white powder to their faces and wearing many rosaries around their necks.
“Surrounding them is a veil of mystery, Indians fear them and believe that they can predict the future, walk on water and perform malicious prophecies,” said photographer Ostinelli, who is a realist. Show a set of photos about this unique tribe to share.
This tribe also uses human skulls as cups, bites off the heads of living animals and meditates on corpses to gain enlightenment.
Priests of the Aghori tribe use cannabis, alcohol and meditation to reach a state of awakening and approach the Hindu god Shiva.
The Aghori also believe that, by doing what others consider taboo, they will achieve enlightenment.
In India, the dead are usually cremated and then sprinkled with ashes in the Ganges. However, there are bodies that are dropped without being cremated. The Aghori picked up the bodies and used them in spiritual enlightenment rituals . They ate meat and built altars from these bodies.
The Aghori also applied ashes from cremated corpses.
That legend is further confirmed by the habit of living in cemeteries and crematoriums, where the atmosphere of death is bold. The Aghori shun material possessions and are often nude. This is a measure to separate from mundane illusions and present the human body in its purest form.
The Aghori monks believed that power came from the dead. They consider themselves the lowest class in society, so they often dress in rags and have their hair messy. They also believe that nudity is a pure act to escape the mundane and spiritual enlightenment.
Despite their intimidating appearance, the Aghori are actually very benevolent. They set up a camp for people with leprosy and cared for and treated hundreds of thousands of patients.
The Aghori people of today have their origins in the 17th century, with the originator being Baba Kinaram. Kinaram is a Puritan and is said to have lived to be 170 years old. Any Indian can join the sect of the Aghori tribe, but it takes up to 12 years to learn the teachings.