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The unbearable nakedness of being

Until the late Middle Ages, large numbers of people lived in monastic communities across several continents. The intention was spiritual or devout, but in practice begging was a means of survival for poor people.

At the end of the 16th century, Amsterdam had a population of around 15,000 inhabitants and no fewer than 21 abbeys, with women's convents clearly in the majority. Outside the city walls, there was an influx of beggars and vagabonds.

In India, the situation was not much different. Countless buddhist, hindu and jain temples, gompas and ashrams dotted the landscape.  

That is, until the Islamic Mughal invasion from Central Asia in 1526. After that, all these religious movements were suppressed, and buddhism virtually disappeared from its country of origin.

The Supreme Court has refused to bar naked Sadhus (from entering the Shiva temples. The court ruled that nudity in the name of religion cannot be regarded as obscene.

– The Kathmandu Post, 27 Aug ’25

Four to five million sadhus roam the Indian subcontinent. This is a rough estimate, because who qualifies – temporarily – for the title of “sadhu”?

A sadhu renounces social life and lives on alms. He devotes himself to achieving liberation (moksha) through spiritual discipline' – although the latter is not always apparent.

I saw a few of them walking by with bells attached to their balls – to warn women from afar.

With their naked appearance, they seemed to take nothing and no one seriously – and preferably embarrass civil servants.

I sometimes saw them light one hash chillum after another – and eventually sink down or fall asleep.

Some seemed to me to be outcasts from a rigid caste system. They were pariahs because they were born into a humiliated nest.

Not that the population knew exactly why they were reviled. Only the priestly class and other elite castes claimed to know.

At the cremation grounds along the river or near temples, the men smear themselves with the ashes of burnt bodies.

Their white-grey skin separated them from the surrounding society, which was instead doing everything it could to survive and reproduce.

Fallus festival, Japan

The Naga Sadhus are devoted to liberation from worldly existence (moksha), including rebirth or reincarnation. The term comes from the Sanskrit word 'muc', which means to liberate.

For many sadhus, moksha rather seems to mean freedom from. As well as freedom from society as from any ashram, bahal or other form of monastic community. They are clearly not suited to it.

The nakedness—so despised by the prosecutor on behalf of the new bourgeoisie 2.0—belongs to the naga sadhu like fur belongs to many animals.

But also to a centuries-old tradition like a bride's wedding dress, for example.

Moreover, in this temple, Shiva is depicted in his most naked form: as an abstract phallic symbol.

In Indiase temple, Tamil Nadu.

Over the centuries, this elongated stone has been imbued with profound meaning:

‘Although the lingam has its origins in depictions of the male sexual organ, it is considered to be the 'external symbol” of “formless reality”, symbolising the fusion of “primordial matter” with “pure consciousness” in a “transcendental context”.

- Wikipedia

In countless old temples and niches throughout the valley,

Shiva is depicted with a large, erect penis.

Nowadays, however, his seated, meditating image is much more popular. Dancing chastely with one leg to the side is also much appreciated.

When painted, the airbrush colours may be sweet, light, tender or even playful.

Of his motto, “No creation without destruction of the old”, little is evident today.

Nor is his use of hashish, incidentally.

In this century, Shiva appears more like a wise pater familias.

And well, a naga sadhu doesn't identify with that.

But there is still hope.

Judges Kumar Chudal and Nahakul Subedi dismissed the petition, ruling that nudity and obscenity are not synonymous.

It remains to be seen whether the Noble Member is viewed differently by the devoted population than that we all find our origins there – including ancestors and future descendants.

The fact that an egg cell was also needed, remained unclear for a long time. At that time, the female contribution was largely perceived as merely providing a kind of oven.

But, to draw a comparison, how many christians still question the immaculate conception at Christmas?

‘Nudity is simply a physical state, usually referring to the exposure of sexual organs or body parts.

However, obscenity means something that arouses sexual desire, or is socially and culturally considered shameful or offensive.

Therefore, not all instances of nudity can be considered obscene.’

Most of the photos we took in and around the Pashupati Temple during various Shivaratris over the past few decades.

Zie ook:

museumtaal, van puriteins naar preuts.

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In a sense, their displayed contempt for death nevertheless united these travellers without any luggage into a clearly recognisable group among the many pilgrims.

Whether travelling across the Indian plains or through the Himalayan mountains, they recognised each other from afar.