Spiritual Life at the Ganga River 🇮🇳 Hindu Ascetics in Varanasi

 Varanasi is an ancient city by the Ganga River, with the riverside designed as stairs descending from the lanes to the water, known as *the ghats*. The ghats serve not just as walkways and parking spaces for boats but as sites for spiritual practices.  This is where Hindus bathe to purify their souls, like women in the image above.  And this is where you can witness Hindu dancing, singing, and performing.  The ghats are also a place of cremation. Being cremated in Varanasi gives a Hindu a great preference, and, as some sources say, can even bring full liberation (meaning no more rebirths but leaving life for blissful unity with God).  By the river, you can also see people worshiping gods and meditating, including those men who are called sadhus or babas. These are ascetics who decided to leave ordinary life for the mission of spiritual liberation. This determination alone deserves deep respect, even if you aren't Hindu. There are different sadhu traditions in Hinduism. I am not going to lecture here as I am new to this topic myself. But I'll simply show those unusual characters.  This man is a naga sadhu (or a naga sadhu disciple). Naked, covered with ash, with dreads. The trident of Shiva is in front of him. It might be that this plastic bag on the table contains cannabis - sadhus smoke openly at the ghats. Being naked, [The Times of India writes](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/soul-search/mahakumbh-2025-7-facts-about-naga-sadhus-that-have-forever-amused-people/photostory/117254291.cms), *is a way of renouncing the material world for them. They are also known to be warriors defending Hindu people and temples*. This man was sitting at a very big and crowded place called Dashashwamedh Ghat. As you see, he hid his genitals with his legs, probably to fit the rules of this area. In a less official ghat, I saw a naga sadhu walking as he was, and that was completely fine for everyone.  By the way, about smoking cannabis: the bearded man is holding a chillum, a pipe for smoking weed. It is also obvious that he is in a good mood.  There are many types of sadhus, and you can't recognize them as easily as naga sadhus.  But you can spot odd characters who don't meet the usual idea of an Indian, like this mysterious man with orange beads...  Not far from the second cremation ghat (Harishchandra Ghat), they have a small beach with tents where several ascetics live; a bonfire decorated with marigold petals, miniature statues of gods... And that's inside: ![DSC_4379.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/x-rain/23z7NW77siiTccqPdLKmiSyWp4wMvtDneuywqBcZ […]