One of the most obscure and radical sects of the Sadhus are the Aghoris. Though one of the smaller sects, they are noted for their extreme behaviour. The Aghori philosophy is that by acting contrary to all Sadhu and general Hindu taboos they will actually speed up enlightenment.

This includes reversing even the most important of practices such as vegetarianism and abstinence from alcohol.

As followers of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, they express a morbid fascination with death, and many spend their time surrounded by corpses, and drinking from human skulls. It is said that some take their devotion to the even greater extremities of eating excrement and having sexual intercourse with menstruating prostitutes.

Although numbers of the sect have dwindled there are still many that carry out these age-old traditions.