PHOTOGRAPHER OF DEATH

The story of a death photographers in Varanasi and his struggle to capture the last moments of the departed before they are turned to ashes

The Kashi Manikarnika Ghat is one of the holiest burial grounds alongside the river Ganga in India. According to Hindu mythology the burning of the bodies is the most sacred ritual because it symbolizes both creation and destruction of mankind. It is believed that being burned on the land of Varanasi, provides an immediate liberation from the cycle of births and rebirths. To be cremated along the banks of the Mother Ganga is seen as the highest honor to the people living in the community. The Ghat is open 24 hours a day and more than hundreds of cremation ceremonies take place daily all year round.

For the community, death is a form of livelihood. Among the people who live off the death of their neighbors and friends are wood merchants, barbers, Antyeshti (the priests performing rites and prayers), florists and groups of outcasts sifting through the mud searching for personal belongings of the deceased. Among the many jobs, the most important one is the photographer of death. Their job is to capture the last moments of the departed before they are turned to ashes. Photographing a dead person may seem unconventional and a little disrespectful to the families, but for the photographers of Varanasi, it is just another way to earn a living. The family of the deceased actually encourages pictures to be taken, not only as proof, but also as closure to families unable to make it to the funeral. Since crematoriums do not provide death certificates, the pictures are the only proof to the government to receive any type of inheritance.

Niraja (20) is a photographer of death, a job that has been passed down to him and in his family for generations. While I observe him, I can feel him struggling to grasp the essence of the shots. His ability to capture images that celebrate the interwoven ideas of life and death with elegance and grace is so inspiring.
“Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures. I love taking pictures, I love this job and I feel honored to do what I do.”