The fire of devotion
- Aghori Babas love logs charred in funeral pyres
After washing his eyes reddened by a heavy dose of marijuana, Sadhu Premdas steps into the Bagmati river, looking for some half-burnt logs of wood to light a fire at his place.
Belonging to the Aghori sect of sages, Premdas does not accept fresh firewood distributed by the Pashupati authority: he loves a fire made from logs already used for cremating a body.
Another Baba from Benaras, India, Devananda Das, who arrived in Kathmandu four days ago, has also been collecting logs partially burnt with a body. Under the auspicious setting of the temple at this time of the year, every morning of these Aghori sages begins with the collection of charred logs thrown into the Bagmati after putting out a funeral pyre at Aryaghat.
“We only use logs burnt in the pyre,” Devananda said, basking in the warmth of burning logs on a warm Sunday. “I get divine satisfaction at the warmth emanating from logs already used to cremate bodies.” According to him, Aghoris consider it pious to apply ashes of wood already used in cremation. The Aghori Sadhus, according to Premdas, are “the master of spirits” and using such wood strengthens their control over the spirits.
“People may hate us for our behaviour, but we don’t care,” he says, arranging dreadlocks above his left ear. “This is how we are.” Maintaining hospitality towards these carefree and devotional sages, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), an authority entrusted with the management of Shivaratri, has been providing firewood as they require. However, the Aghori Babas, who say they don’t get “proper satisfaction” from fresh logs, do not accept the provision.
“They act as they wish, and we cannot compel them to use the wood we provide,” said PADT Treasurer Narottam Vaidya. In collaboration with the Guthi Sansthan
and the Timber Corporation Nepal, the PADT has been providing firewood in sufficient quantities to Sadhus during Shivaratri every year.
According to Vaidya, out of the two to three thousand sages who come from
various parts of India, around 20 to 30 percent belong to the Aghori sect, devoted to Lord Shiva.
Posted on: 2012-02-20 10:40
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