Masaan Holi: The FEStival of cremation ground
A visual exploration of Masan Holi, the sacred festival of ash at Varanasi’s cremation grounds – where life, death, and devotion converge in an unforgettable ritual.
This festival of the cremation ground documents one of Varanasi’s most rare and striking rituals. Each year, during Rangbhari Ekadashi, devotees of Lord Shiva gather at Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats to celebrate Holi – not with colours, but with ash from the cremation pyres.
Known as Masan Holi, this ritual honours the cycle of life and death. According to local belief, Shiva and his celestial retinue descend upon the ghats to bless the faithful. Participants smear themselves with Bhasma (ash), embracing impermanence as a path to spiritual liberation.
This series captures the raw emotion, spiritual energy, and profound symbolism of this ritual – a powerful reflection of Varanasi’s deep connection to life, death, and transcendence.
