When most of us think about commitment, we might picture someone training for a marathon or sticking to a strict diet. Daulat Giri Ji Maharaj has taken the concept to a startling extreme: he hasn’t sat down in five years and won’t for another seven, all in service of a spiritual vow that’s testing the limits of what the human body can endure.
Daulat belongs to the Khareshwari sect, known colloquially as the “Standing Babas”—ascetic monks who interpret spiritual discipline quite literally. Members take vows to remain upright for 12 years as a form of penance, believing it cleanses their souls and brings them closer to the goddess Shiva. To make this physically possible, these monks rely on an intricate support system: hanging swings, specially-designed harnesses, and ropes that keep them vertical even when exhaustion takes hold. It’s a commitment that turns daily life into an act of devotion.
But there’s a brutal cost. Photos reveal Daulat’s legs severely swollen and blackened—the visible toll of five years without the pumping action muscles need to circulate blood. Medical experts are blunt about the danger: prolonged standing causes venous pressure to rise, leading to blood pooling in the lower extremities and potentially life-threatening conditions like deep vein thrombosis. “When standing still for a long time, the veins in the legs must fight gravity to send blood to the heart, but the lack of pumping action in the calf muscles causes blood to pool in the lower extremities,” one medical expert explained. Doctors have already warned that his legs may require amputation long before he reaches his 12-year goal.
Despite the alarming deterioration, Daulat receives care from temple volunteers who apply ointments to his deformed legs—a small mercy in an otherwise unforgiving ordeal. He hasn’t lost the ability to move around entirely, so he can still manage basic necessities, though the specifics of how his body handles such needs remain unclear. What’s undeniable is that this vow represents a staggering act of willpower, one that challenges us to question where the line between spiritual devotion and self-harm truly lies.
Daulat’s story isn’t isolated. Another Indian ascetic monk, Amar Bharati, has kept his right hand raised high above his head continuously since 1973—a parallel testament to the lengths some pursue spiritual transcendence. These aren’t stunts or performances; they’re expressions of faith so profound they reshape the physical body itself. Whether one views them as inspirational or alarming likely depends on where you stand on the intersection of body, belief, and the human will.
