Hindu boy lying on a bed of spikes to seek religious merit, Vārānasi , India, ca. 1920between 1915 and 1925"This boy is lying on a bed of spikes believing that if he does this for a number of years he will gain merit and earn salvation." A boy lies on a bed of spikes with his head propped up on a wooden board. His knees are bent so that his feet are flat on the spikes. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].still image