Can’t entirely remember how it started, but “Jay Aghori Baba!” (Hail Aghori Baba!) is essentially an inside joke between my friend and I back while I was in India. We spent the month randomly cheering “Jay Aghori Baba!”

Aghori Babas fascinate me, therefore it’s a goal to find a legit Aghori Baba just to sit and have a chat, asking them every single question that’s raided my brain in order to satisfy my curiosity. I need to meet one (if anyone has the know-how’s).

Before I get too ahead of myself, the Aghori Baba are a group of religious people who reside in India. They’re somewhat of a legend (albeit a legit, living one) due to controversial beliefs and practices. They smoke marijuana and drink alcohol to improve concentration for meditative practices. They’re known to perform post-mortem rituals with human skulls, meditate on corpses, and engage in cannibalism (only on those already passed, so have no fear). In the old days, they’d eat the bodies floating down the river, cooking them if they had the means to do so, or eating them raw. In present day, the Aghori in Varanasi consume the flesh from corpses brought to cemetaries for cremation.

While they sound like people to be feared, they are not. They believe in living a hate-free life and without greed, sexual desire, anger, and fear. While their practices are strange, ultimately, their goal is to lead a good life to reach enlightenment.

They should be easy to pick out of a crowd- skin white from the ash of the cremated dead they coat on their skin and wearing little to no clothes. They believe the ash still carries nutrients and therefore gives energy. Helpful information if you ever need a cure. They believe they have the medicinal powers to heal any and all diseases. Even the uncurable. They are who to go to if you are in need of a ritual to aid you on a problem that no one else can.

It’s largely debated on where to find a true Aghori Baba. There are many posers. Normally people want to fit in, yet there are those who pose as the Aghori because they like being mysterious, misunderstood, and unique. Varanasi, a sacred city that sits on the banks of the holy Ganges River, has many of these false Aghoris. They act and dress by that name in order to receive handouts by those who believe they are holy men in need of money. However, let it be known a true Aghori Baba does not beg for money.

I’ve read multiple articles and asked quite a few people on how to find these spiritual men. I’ve received mixed answers. The Himalayas, Varanasi, snow-clad mountains, the desert, by the river, and in the jungle. They’ve been found by those who search long and hard enough, so if anyone feels up for the adventure, seek me out to create a planned exhibition.

*Note on weed- it’s illegal in India but it’s found everywhere due to spiritual users and according to a couple of my friends, sold by babas (the ones who you’ll see carrying a bag over their shoulder) on the streets.

*Additional note: This post is based on what I’ve seen, read, heard, and been told. No offense is meant and if anything is incorrect, please correct me.