"Another man who is trying to earn salvation by burying his head in the ground. The Hindu idea is that one has to earn salvation by self-torture." A man, with his head buried in the ground, raises his legs up in the air. There are people passing by him and watching him in the background. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"A Hindu worshipping a god in the form of a small stone. It is placed near a pepul tree which is "sacred" to them." A man bends over and clasps his hands in prayer before a sacred stone. The stone is surrounded by flowers and there are two small jugs on the ground. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"The same man in another attitude of worship. Garlands of flowers have been carefully spread around the god." A Hindu man stands with his hands clasped in front o fhim and one foot raised behind the ankle of the opposite leg. He is worshipping the god in a small stone at the base of a tree in front of him. Garlands of flowers and two small jugs surround the stone. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"The same man in still another attitude of worship. In the brass lotah is Ganges water which he has just sprinkled on the god." A Hindu man squats on the ground with his hands clasped in front of him as he worships a god in a small stone in front of him at the base of a tree. The stone is surrounded by garlands of water and the two jugs, or lotahs, have the aforementioned sacred purpose. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"Another Hindu "holy" man with one arm raised up over his head. The man sitting at his side counting the prayer beads is his disciple." Two men sit cross-legged on the ground next to each other. One is holding his hand above his head, while the other counts prayer beads. They are both wearing prayer beads. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"Three "holy" men. The two in the foreground are lying on thorny cactus with the locks of their hair tied together." One man lies on a single wire stretched out and two other men lay on a thorny cactus beneath him. They have intertwined their hair. A few men stand in the bakcground, watching these men in their religious pursuits. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"The form of penance of these two "holy" men in the foreground is to go about naked." Two nude men sit cross-legged on a mat in the foreground, while other people sit around them. These two men are wearing beads around their necks. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"Sadhus torturing themselves by sitting in the hot sun with five fires around them. The temperature was 120 in the shade when this picture was taken." Five men sit cross-legged on the round with rags around their legs in a row. Each man has five fires around him. There is a group of people sitting underneath umbrellas behind these men. Some of the men have rags on or around their heads. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
Printed on the photograph are the words, "Propitiation To The Goddess Kali In [?] of Cholera." The accompanying caption reads, "Sacrificing a goat to a heathen god in India." A goat is stuck on top of a long pole, which has been secured in the ground. There are three men standing and squatting near the goat. Another man in the background is driving oxen who are pulling a cart. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
"The Burning Ghats of Benares where the Hindus burn their dead." A few men tend fires that are burning corpses. This photograph is from an album prepared by W. K. Norton of The Pilgrims Mission, Benares [Vārānasi].
