Doomsday

• Photographer
  Fausto Podavini, Italy
• Website
  http://www.faustopodavini.eu

Being cremated at Manikarnika Ghat, on Ganga's banks in Varanasi is
the ideal end of any Hindu devotee, as this is believed to lead a soul to
Moksha, out of rebirth's cycle. Doms, a particular section of
untouchables, undertake the duty of death bodies' burning. An obscure
Dom kingdom survives since thousands in Varanasi around this
lucrative business and, as in every Kingdom, here there are masters
and servants too, both dealing with death as it is: a mere matter of
predestination. Durga Prasad is the Dom Raj servant. His main duty is
doing housework in his owner's house. He's still young, and he can
just work 9-10 days a month at the pyres earning a few dollars to be
given to his family in the countryside. But his destiny seems to be
unquestionable: breathing the burning flesh's smoke, he'll give a way
to Moksha to thousands of souls, till his last day will also come.
Worldwide, there are at least 250 million children between 5 and 15
years who work. Almost half is occupied full time. By some statistics
shows that 61% of child labor is concentrated in Asia. With its 44
million child workers, India holds the world record of child labor.