Renunciation, Death and Liberation: An Ethnographic Study of Dandi Sanyasis in Kashi
Vineet Kumar, Harpreet Singh
Sociological Bulletin October 25, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/00380229261493625 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Elderly Dandi Sanyasis residing in Mumukshu Bhawan, Kashi |
| Key findings | The authors report that renunciation among elderly Dandi Sanyasis in Kashi is often shaped by personal loss, family conflict, spiritual aspiration, and the search for existential meaning. They describe Kashi as a lived sacred landscape where ascetic discipline, collective life, and awareness of death converge, and argue that witnessing ageing, illness, and the deaths of fellow ascetics fosters spiritual preparedness and acceptance of death. |
Abstract
This study explores the lived experiences of Dandi Sanyasis residing in Mumukshu Bhawan, Kashi, and examines how renunciation, sacred migration, ascetic practices and engagement with death shape their pursuit of moksha. Drawing on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation and ethnographic fieldwork, the study investigates the everyday lives of elderly renunciates who have migrated to Kashi in the final stage of life. The findings reveal that renunciation is often shaped by personal loss, family conflict, spiritual aspiration and the search for existential meaning. Kashi emerges as a lived sacred landscape where ascetic discipline, collective life and awareness of death converge. The study further demonstrates how witnessing ageing, illness and the deaths of fellow ascetics fosters spiritual preparedness and acceptance of death. By integrating perspectives from sacred geography, phenomenology, death studies and the sociology of renunciation, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of liberation as a lived social process in contemporary India.