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Man Who’s Held His Arm Up For 50 Years Explains Why He’s Been Doing It
A man who has kept one arm raised in the air for more than half a century has revealed the remarkable reason behind his extraordinary act of devotion.
Most people struggle to hold their arm above their head for more than a few minutes before the aching begins.
But Amar Bharati claims he hasn’t lowered his right arm since 1973, a decision that has left the limb permanently withered and unusable.
The Indian holy man has become one of the world‘s most recognizable ascetics, with photographs of his raised arm regularly resurfacing online and leaving millions asking the same question:
Why would anyone willingly do that?
He once lived an ordinary life
Before becoming known around the world, Bharati reportedly lived a relatively conventional life.
According to Greek Reporter and his Wikipedia biography, he worked as a bank clerk in New Delhi, was married and had three children before experiencing what he has described as a profound spiritual awakening.
Feeling there had to be more to life than work and material possessions, he gave up his career, left behind his former lifestyle and became a Sadhu, a Hindu ascetic who dedicates their life to spiritual practice and renounces worldly pleasures.
From that moment on, Bharati devoted his life to Shiva, one of Hinduism’s principal deities.
In Hindu belief, Shiva is regarded as both the destroyer and transformer, representing the cycle of destruction and renewal that allows new life to emerge. According to the BBC and the World History Encyclopedia, Shiva plays a central role in Hindu beliefs about the continual regeneration of the universe.
Why he raised his arm
Bharati’s raised arm wasn’t simply an act of religious devotion.
According to Greek Reporter, he decided to permanently raise his right arm in 1973 both to honor Shiva and ‘to militate against wars and support world peace.’
Speaking to History of Yesterday, Bharati explained that his motivation has always been remarkably simple.
“I do not ask for much,” he said. “Why are we fighting our sons among ourselves? Why is there so much hatred and enmity between us?
“I just want all Indians and the whole world to live in peace with each other.”
Over the decades, his unusual protest has attracted followers, tourists and photographers from around the world, with some fellow ascetics even taking inspiration from his commitment by raising their own arms for extended periods, according to his Wikipedia biography.
The physical cost has been enormous
Of course, maintaining the same position for more than 50 years has had devastating consequences for Bharati’s body.
According to reports from Greek Reporter and interviews cited by History of Yesterday, the first two years were the hardest.
Bharati reportedly endured excruciating pain before gradually losing all sensation in the arm as the muscles wasted away.
Today, the limb is dramatically thinner than his left arm.
The muscles have almost completely atrophied, while the joints have become permanently fixed after decades without movement.
His fingers remain tightly curled into his palm, while his fingernails have continued growing, spiraling down around his wrist.
Because the arm has remained raised for so long, experts widely believe the damage is irreversible.
Some reports claim the cartilage within the joints has deteriorated to such an extent that lowering the arm could cause severe injury or even fractures, although those claims have not been independently medically verified.
Not everyone is convinced
Although Bharati’s story has become legendary, it has also attracted skepticism over the years.
Spanish newspaper El País, which revisited his story in 2025 after renewed interest sparked by musician Jeff Tweedy dedicating a song to him, noted that while the arm is visibly withered and rigid, some observers question whether it truly has remained unmoved continuously since 1973.
The publication reported that the claim is difficult to verify independently after so many decades, even though Bharati himself has consistently maintained that he has never lowered it.
Regardless, the physical condition of his arm has become one of the most striking symbols associated with his life of extreme asceticism.
More than five decades after first raising his arm, Bharati continues living as a Sadhu.
His sacrifice has become about far more than personal devotion, evolving into a symbol of peace, endurance and unwavering spiritual commitment.
While many people are left stunned by the irreversible damage done to his body, Bharati has repeatedly insisted that the sacrifice has been worthwhile if it encourages people to reflect on violence and hatred.
His message has remained unchanged for more than 50 years.
He simply wants ‘the whole world to live in peace with each other.’
Whether viewed as an extraordinary act of religious faith, a lifelong protest against war, or one of the most extreme examples of human endurance ever documented, Amar Bharati’s story continues to fascinate people across the globe more than half a century after he first raised his hand toward the sky.
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