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Aghori
Sign in to saveThe Aghori (from , ) are a Hindu monastic order of ascetic Shaivite sadhus based in Uttar Pradesh, India. They are the only surviving sect derived from the Kāpālika tradition, a Tantric, non-Puranic form of Shaivism which originated in Medieval India between the 4th and 8th century CE.
Key facts
- Religious group.group
- Aghori
- Religious group.image
- Aghori de Benarés.jpg
- Religious group.caption
- An Aghori at a ghat in Varanasi
- Religious group.population
- A few thousand
- Religious group.popplace
- Varanasi, North India
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
6 sectionsContents
- Beliefs and practices
- History
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
The Aghori (from , ) are a Hindu monastic order of ascetic Shaivite sadhus based in Uttar Pradesh, India. They are the only surviving sect derived from the Kāpālika tradition, a Tantric, non-Puranic form of Shaivism which originated in Medieval India between the 4th and 8th century CE.
Similarly to their Shaivite predecessors, Aghoris usually engage in post-mortem rituals, often dwell in charnel grounds, smear cremation ashes on their bodies, and use bones from human corpses for crafting kapāla (skull cups which Shiva and other Hindu deities are often iconically depicted holding or using) and jewellery. They also practice post-mortem cannibalism, eating flesh from foraged human corpses, including those taken from cremation ghats.