Mystery of Kashi's Mahashmashan: Why Courtesans Dance Amidst Burning Pyres

• Kashi's Mahashmashan Manikarnika Ghat hosts a unique tradition where courtesans dance amidst burning pyres.
• This annual event occurs on Chaitra Shukla Paksha Saptami, coinciding with Baba Mahashmashan Nath's adornment.
• The tradition began centuries ago when King Man Singh renovated the temple; courtesans offered to dance after other artists refused to perform at the cremation ground.
• Temple manager Gulshan Kapoor explains that courtesans believe dancing here on this day grants them liberation from their current life in the next birth.
• Courtesans from Varanasi and surrounding districts gather to participate in this all-night event, seeking atonement.