Nagar Vadhu dance at the burning funeral pyres of Varanasi.

For an outsider it may be a harrowing experience to see women dancing and singing fearlessly overnight around the burning funeral pyres at the cremation ground, but for Banarasis there is nothing unusual in it. Rather they enjoy the moment with the dancing ladies ignoring the stench coming from the burning dead bodies.

Perhaps Banaras, where dying means attaining moksha, is the only place on this planet that showcases such a unique musical night with full of life and energy at the cremation ground where people normally avoid to make visit particularly during night hours. The smokes from the pyres and cracking sounds coming from the burning bodies seemingly fail to dishearten people watching the show as well as the performers.

These women come from different places are the sex workers, who perform dance and music at Manikarnika Ghat, the greatest cremation site. Traditionally the sex workers offer prayer to Maha Smashan Nath, the lord of cremation site, on the seventh night of Chaitra Navratra annually. After performing religious rituals they present dance and music at the makeshift stage amid the burning pyres in respect of the lord of the cremation ground.

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