Bone from Corpses Sold Right from the Ghat, Ritual Brahmin Arrested in kathmandu.

Kathmandu: Bones have been removed and sold from a corpse brought for its final rites. This shocking incident took place at Pashupati Aryaghat on July 8.
While a body was being cremated at Pashupati Aryaghat, a leg bone was removed and sold. Police have arrested ritual Brahmin Ganesh Dhakal on charges of removing and selling the bone from the corpse.

According to Kuldeep Chand, assistant spokesperson for the Kathmandu District Police Office, 65-year-old Ram Shahi of Banepa 8, Kavre, died and was brought to Pashupati Aryaghat for cremation last Friday. While his body was burning, Dhakal was seen by the deceased’s family members removing a leg bone from the corpse. Dhakal gave the bone he had removed to his assistant and accepted five hundred rupees. When they saw Dhakal sell the deceased’s bone for five hundred rupees, the family members and mourners informed the police.

A police team from Gaushala Police Circle has started an investigation after this bizarre incident came to light, where body parts and bones were being stolen from corpses during cremation at Pashupati Aryaghat. According to Sukdev Khanal, head of the Gaushala Police Circle, the accused was arrested on Friday after the deceased’s family filed a complaint. He said that since this is a very strange and new type of case, a serious investigation is underway.

DSP Khanal says, “The victim’s family has accused the suspect, Dhakal, of possibly having removed and sold bones from other corpses before.” DSP Khanal said that the police are investigating whether this kind of act has happened before. He stated that the suspect has not said anything about who he gave the body parts and bones to, or how much money he took.

According to a police source, the initial assumption is that he may have sold the flesh and bones from the corpse to Aghori Babas who live around the ghat. Dhakal has not given a definitive answer yet. He has said that he took the bone, not the flesh.

Earlier, there were unconfirmed rumors of a group that would remove and eat flesh from corpses. This incident at Pashupati Aryaghat has now confirmed the existence of this business of selling corpse flesh. Since there is no law specifying a punishment for such a crime, Assistant Spokesperson Chand of the Kathmandu Police informed that the arrested Dhakal will be investigated on charges of indecent behavior.

Do Aghori Babas really eat human flesh?
An incident recently came to light where flesh and bones were removed and sold from a half-cremated body at Pashupati Aryaghat. The Gaushala Police Circle is investigating this case. The suspect, arrested after a complaint from the victim’s family, has admitted to selling the bones, but the identity of the buyer has not yet been revealed. Many people following this case are speculating that a so-called “Aghori Baba” might have bought the human flesh and bones.

But do Aghori Babas really eat human flesh? Who are they? Why do they do this? What are their traditions like?Understanding the Aghori Tradition
In Hinduism, there are various types of sadhus (ascetics), and one group is the Aghori community, who worship the Hindu deity Shiva. Shiva is also known as the god of destruction. The word “Aghori” comes from a Sanskrit word meaning “fearless.” Aghoris follow a monistic philosophy, which believes that all things in the universe are a single entity and that the ultimate truth originates from Brahma. They believe that the soul of every person is Shiva, who is the supreme form of Brahma.

Aghoris believe they can communicate with Shiva by performing rituals on human corpses. This practice is known as ‘shav sadhana’ (corpse ritual). During this ritual, it is said that Aghori Babas also eat human flesh. However, a Vedantu.com article states that they do not kill anyone for these rituals. Instead, they collect flesh from dead bodies found near rivers, cremation grounds, or morgues.

Dispelling Myths and Exploring Realities
Most of us have heard frightening stories about Aghori Babas: they look terrifying, live in cremation grounds, eat from human skulls, sleep among burning pyres, walk naked, are constantly intoxicated with marijuana, and their curses are believed to come true.

However, experts say the reality is quite different. Aghori Babas have their own beliefs and convictions. While they are rigid, they are not as cruel as we are often led to believe. According to Manoj Thakkar, author of the book “Aghori: A Biographical Novel,” there is much misinformation about them. In a report published by BBC Hindi, the author said, “Aghoris are actually simple. They love to live freely in nature. They don’t make any demands from anyone.”

In a 2019 BBC report, James Mallinson, who teaches Sanskrit at the London School of African and Oriental Studies, said, “The principle of Aghor philosophy is to achieve spiritual knowledge and attain God. For this, one has to go far beyond the rules of purity.”

Mallinson, who studied at Oxford University, is also a mahant (head priest) and guru. In his community, Aghori practices are forbidden. Based on his conversations with many Aghori sadhus, Mallinson said, “Aghoris tend to break social taboos. They don’t follow the conventional rules of good and evil. They consider strange practices, like eating human flesh and their own feces, as a path to spiritual progress. In their belief, consuming these discarded things leads to supreme consciousness.”

Aghori Beliefs and Practices
According to Manoj Thakkar, Aghori Babas see everything as a part of God. They neither hate anyone nor reject anything. Thus, they don’t differentiate between animal and human flesh. Animal sacrifice is an important part of their worship.

An article on Vedantu.com lists five kinds of ‘mahamans’ (great meats) that Aghoris eat: fish, pig, crow, vulture, and human.

Legend holds that Dattatreya is the original guru of the Aghor tradition. He is mentioned as an Aghori in Hindu scriptures and is therefore considered the first guru of Aghori Babas.

The origin and history of the Aghoris are somewhat mysterious because they prefer to live in secrecy and away from society. The word “Aghori” gained prominence in the 18th century. Some scholars trace their roots to the ancient Hindu Kapalika community, which emerged between the 7th and 8th centuries. This community was known for its extreme and tantric practices, such as worshiping deities, using intoxicants, and sacrificing animals. Kapalikas used to perform human sacrifices and eat human flesh. Over time, it is believed this community evolved into the Aghori tradition. A report from the Times of India states that Baba Kinaram of North India is considered its founder.

According to the report, Baba Kinaram is believed to have lived for about 150 years, passing away in the latter half of the 18th century. He was the first to compile the principles and practices of Aghor in writing, authoring works like Vivek Sar, Ramgita, Ramrasal, and Unmuniram. Followers of the Aghor tradition also consider him an avatar of Shiva.

Some sources say Baba Kinaram was born in 1658 in a Kshatriya family in Ramgarh village, Uttar Pradesh. His birth on Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi is considered highly auspicious for Shiva worship. He was born with a full set of teeth, a rare event seen as a sign of spiritual power.

One of the most extraordinary things about his birth is that for three days, he neither cried nor drank his mother’s milk. On the fourth day, three sadhus, believed to be avatars of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, came to his house and embraced the baby. After they whispered something in his ear, Kinaram started crying and drinking milk. Aghoris celebrate this event as a special festival.

It is believed that from a young age, Kinaram showed a spiritual inclination, leaving home at age 11 to search for a guru. He met Baba Kaluram, a disciple of Dattatreya, who initiated Kinaram into the Aghor path and taught him the mysterious knowledge of Aghor Shastra. It is also believed that he received the blessings of Hinglaj Mata, the goddess of the Aghoris. His followers believe the goddess appeared in a cave in what was then Balochistan (now Pakistan) and gave him a mantra and a human skull.

Aghoris and Society
Many sects and communities in Hindu society follow a predetermined set of rules and are directly involved with mainstream society. However, Aghoris do not. They cut off contact with their families and don’t trust anyone else.

According to Aghori expert James Mallinson, “There is a great variation in the intellectual skills of sadhus in the Aghori community. Some Aghoris were so intelligent that even kings would seek their advice. One Aghori even became a royal advisor to a king of Nepal.”

Both experts, James Mallinson and Manoj Thakkar, agree that very few people are truly following the Aghori path correctly. In other words, there are very few genuine Aghori Babas.

There are over a billion Hindus worldwide, but they don’t all share the same beliefs. In Hinduism, there is no single prophet or book that everyone follows. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the number of Aghoris, but experts suggest it could be in the thousands.

In India, there are an estimated 5 million sadhus, but the number of Aghoris among them is unknown. It is also not clear if there are any Aghori Babas in Nepal. During Shivaratri, Kumbh Mela, and other large religious ceremonies, sadhus disguised as Aghori Babas are often seen. These sadhus are often self-proclaimed Aghoris who haven’t undergone any formal initiation. Some sadhus even adopt the appearance of Aghoris to entertain tourists, who in turn give them food and money.

However, author Thakkar says, “Aghoris never take money. They pray for the well-being of all. They don’t care if someone is asking for a blessing to have a child or build a house.”

Most people fear death, and cremation grounds are seen as a symbol of it. But for Aghoris, this is where their journey begins. They want to challenge common human values and morals. The Aghori community intentionally engages in practices considered impure, polluted, and abhorrent by society because they believe these are all manifestations of Shiva, and no one is inherently evil or sinful. This is likely why society does not accept Aghori sadhus.

According to the beliefs of Aghori Babas, the human soul is pure, but it carries many defects that a person is born with or acquires from the materialistic world. These defects include lust, greed, hatred, and anger, known as the Ashtamhapash (eight great bonds). The goal of Aghori Babas is to be freed from these defects and attain or bestow the supreme power of Lord Shiva. They stand on one leg on a corpse, inspired by the posture of the goddess Bhagwati standing on Shiva’s chest.

According to Vedantu.com, during shav sadhana, they take and offer human flesh as a form of sacred food. They sleep during the day and go out at night to search for dead bodies in cremation grounds. This is why they prefer to live near these places.

Aghoris vs. Naga Sadhus
Many people mistakenly believe that Naga sadhus and Aghori Babas are the same and have similar goals. However, there are many differences between them. Naga sadhus are a separate group from Aghori sadhus.

Some Aghoris have publicly admitted to having intercourse with dead bodies, but they do not accept gay sex. Interestingly, when an Aghori Baba dies, his flesh is not eaten by another Aghori. He is given a normal funeral, either by burial or cremation.

It is generally believed that Aghori Babas are far removed from society. However, a BBC report suggests that some Aghori sadhus have started using phones and public transportation. Additionally, some Aghoris even wear sadhu clothes when they go out in public. It appears that in recent years, this community has tried to join the mainstream of society. In some places, the Aghori community has built and is running hospitals.

(These news reports were made available here from the original sources of Ajabi Paudyal and Navaraj Kunwar from Annapurna Post and Shilapatra, which are local news sources based in Kathmandu.)