Daulat Giri Ji Maharaj is an ascetic monk who has been standing continuously for five years after vowing not to sit or lie down for 12 years.
Maharaj belongs to a sect known as Khareshwari (“Standing Babas”), whose members take vows to remain standing as a sort of penance meant to clean their souls and bring them closer to the goddess Shiva. To complete their vows, the ascetic monks rely on ropes, swings, and specially-designed harnesses that keep them standing even when their legs give in.
Photos and clips of Daulat, aka Dulal Giri Ji Maharaj, show him resting on a hanging swing with severely swollen and blackened legs. The lack of movement and the constant standing – even while sleeping – have negatively impacted his circulation and general health, and many fear that his legs will need to be amputated long before he reaches his 12-year goal.
Most of Daulat’s needs are taken care of by volunteers at a local temple where he is fulfilling his extreme vow. They routinely apply ointments to his deformed legs, but that only helps so much. It’s unclear how he tends to his physiological needs, but some have suggested that he must constantly wear adult diapers. However, some clips show him moving around, so he hasn’t lost the ability to move around, which allows him to at least reach the toilet.
Doctors have warned that standing for prolonged periods of time causes venous pressure to rise, which initially results in swelling and pain, but can degenerate into 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.
Daulat Giri Ji Maharaj’s extreme vow reminded us of another Indian ascetic monk, Amar Bharati, who has been keeping his right hand raised high above his head since 1973.
