Fire walking. Sword swallowing. These acts that shock and delight have roots in the real and mythical practices of Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and Jain ascetics. This studio portrait of an Indian ...

Living Traditions will run from May 22 until October 19, 2025, in the Sainsbury Exhibition Gallery at the British Museum.

They argue that in recent years, Hindu monks, enabled by the fact that the influence the community wields under the law, have increasingly been performing rituals that defy the spirit of Buddhism ...