Portrait of Ashok. The Aghori are an austere sect of sadhus, known for embracing what is generally considered taboo. They might live near cremation grounds amidst the dead, use human ashes in their rituals, or keep a skull as a symbol of life's impermanence. Although these practices can seem sinister at first glance, they are underpinned by a profound spiritual intent. For the Aghori, whose lifelong endeavor is to recognize reality as an illusion, engaging in such taboo acts serves to dismantle the superficial layer of the material world. Varanasi, India.

HOLY MEN: Death is not a fearsome concept, but a passing from a world of illusion.