Dulal Giri Ji Maharaj, an Indian ascetic who has allegedly spent several years standing in an act of devotion to the Hindu deity Shiva, recently went viral online.
Some reports said he has been standing for at least 5 years, while others claimed it has been 12 years since he sat down.
Photos and videos of the sage started circulating on social media in June 2026, leaving many users stunned, confused, and a little skeptical.
“He’s going to be super disappointed to find out he did all of this for nothing,” one viewer commented.
Graphic warning: This article contains close-up images of a potential medical condition. Viewer’s discretion is advised.
Social media users were shocked to see the condition of the sage’s legs
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According to the Indian news outlet Taaza TV, Dulal Giri Ji Maharaj left university at a young age to devote himself to Lord Shiva.
In the viral videos, the sage is seen with a bare torso, a jaṭā (locs) on his head, and saffron garb wrapped around his waist, a common attire among Hindu ascetics.
His legs have darkened from his toes to his calves and are severely swollen up to his thighs.
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The clips show him leaning his upper body against a suspended wooden plank hanging from the roof by chains, as temple volunteers treat his legs with ointment.
Some netizens praised the man’s dedication and discipline, calling it a remarkable demonstration of faith. Others were far less convinced, and many were concerned about the ill effects on the man’s health.
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“Say what you want about this man, but he is resilient and fully locked in,” one person said.
“Don’t understand religious zealotry to the point where you’re actively harming yourself for a God,” said another.
“He needs to be hospitalized and his feet elevated immediately,” said a third.
Extreme acts of penance have a long history in Hinduism
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Some netizens claimed that Dulal Giri Ji Maharaj was practicing “Khada Tapasya” (Standing Penance), a devotional practice in which one performs deep meditation while standing continuously for extended periods — sometimes for days, months, or even years.
Such acts of extreme austerity have a long history in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. They are closely tied to the concept of “tapas” or “tapasya,” a Sanskrit term roughly translated as discipline, penance, and austerity.
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In Hindu belief, tapas refers to practices undertaken to cultivate spirituality, self-control, sacrifice, and devotion. These acts can range from fasting and prolonged meditation to more severe forms of self-denial.
Ancient Indian scriptures, mythological tales, and folklore are filled with stories of ascetics and civilians alike undertaking years of penance to seek blessings from Hindu deities.
Shiva, in particular, is strongly associated with asceticism. Often depicted meditating in the Himalayas, covered in ash and detached from worldly comforts, the Hindu deity represents renunciation and spiritual transcendence.
The Indian epics, The Mahabharata and The Ramayana, also depict several such extreme acts of devotion. Some sages still undertake such penances in the modern day.
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A few users compared this sage with another, called Amar Bharati, who quit his job as a clerk and left his family and friends in 1970 to become an ascetic devoted to Shiva.
According to news reports, he has kept his right arm raised in protest against wars and demand for world peace since 1973. After severe pain for the first two years, he lost all sensation in his arm as the muscles atrophied.
Some netizens believed the sage had lymphedema or gangrene on his legs
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Many users pointed out that Dulal Giri Ji Maharaj’s legs may be affected by lymphedema, a condition of the limbs caused by impaired lymphatic drainage.
According to the USA’s National Institutes of Health, lymphedema most commonly occurs after cancer treatment, but can also arise from limited mobility, infections, or congenital abnormalities.
Some attributed the darkening of his skin to gangrene, a potentially fatal condition where loss of blood flow to a body part causes the tissues there to become lifeless.
“Dry gangrene occurs when the blood flow to tissue is cut off,” says Johns Hopkins Medicine. “The area becomes dry, shrinks, and turns black.”
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Image credits: ISKCON TV Dhaka/pexels (not an actual photo)
According to a MedicineNet column by Dr. Gayle M. Galletta, an emergency medicine physician in Worcester, Massachusetts, only 15%-20% of patients will need an amputation if treated early. It may be fatal in only 6-7% of patients, but the rate may increase to 20-25% if the infection has spread throughout the body (sepsis).
Several studies done over the years on complications stemming from prolonged standing have claimed that it leads to the development of varicose veins, cardiovascular issues, cartilage compression, and general muscle fatigue.
Image credits: shyam mishra/pexels (not an actual photo)
While most of these studies were meant to examine the aftereffects of long hours of standing (or sitting) at work, they offer a glimpse into the baseline impacts of the practice on the human body.
A 2014 study published in the Rehabilitation Nursing Journal found that participants reported increased “low back pain, physical fatigue, muscle pain, leg swelling, tiredness, and body part discomfort due to prolonged standing.”
“His feet will have to be amputated.” Netizens showed concern for the Indian sage’s health condition
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