asceticswithcameras.org

Ascetics with Cameras is a seva (volunteer service) organization providing multimedia services, tools and training to Shiva’s Army – the sadhus & sadhvis of Juna Akhara – since 2004. It is our mission to, not only provide multimedia tools to document and preserve the living-histories of these followers of Sanatan Dharma, but more importantly to train the members (of the oldest and largest order of Dasnaami Hindu ascetics) to document it for themselves. Giving them the skills to share with the world the stories and aspects of their culture they find important, will empower these ascetics to participate in the process of media-making to which their Akhara has been subject for centuries and enlighten audiences to the sacred, ancient paths and esoteric traditions of truth seekers.

This channel will feature segments from both the “Her-Story” Video Production Program and the Juna Akhara Documentary Project.

The Juna Akhara Documentary Project is an ongoing project to create a series of short videos about and by the Ascetics of Juna Akhara themselves. Videos range in subject matter from personal self portraits to pilgrimage places, from their various sadhanas (spriitual practices) to their various philosophies, from sanskar (initiation rites) to samadhi (funeral rites), all according to the video maker’s ideas.

Most anyone familiar with yoga, mediation, Kumbh Mela, Juna Akhara or Hindu Ascetics in general know what is a “naga baba”, few know what is a mai (a female ascetic) or that they even exist in the first place. The “Her-Story” Video Production Program gives voice to the female ascetics of Juna Akhara, those often overshadowed by their naked and ash covered brothers, empowering them to share with the world their own stories of what lead them on this path and what they found once they embarked upon it.