By Bhanvi Satija:
The Kashi Manikarnika Ghat, by the banks of the river Ganga, is the main cremation Ghat of Varanasi. According to the Hindu mythology, it is one of the most sacred Ghats as it symbolizes both creation and destruction. Being burned here is thus believed to provide an instant liberation from the cycle of births and rebirths. Paradoxically, for people around the Ghat, deaths and the related rituals are a form of livelihood – the wood sellers, the barbers and even photographers.
Death photography is a prominent profession at the Ghat. Young men armed with a digital cameras offer their services to photograph the dead. However, work can be hard to find sometimes. The conditions of working at the Ghat are not the best either. And if you are wondering why people would want pictures of the dead body – it all makes sense once you watch the video.
