Inside the monasteries, thousands of monks are keeping alive an ancient tradition that melds worship with the arts. Their work centers around dance dramas, based on ancient Indian texts that often focus on the god Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. The young monks, many of whom come from poor families, perform the dances at Krishna festivals across India and around the world. No girls are permitted to live inside them, and teachers and students live together, following the ancient Indian teaching tradition. Apart from training in the arts and praying, the young monks also get a secular education and learn to cook and farm.

Source: ABC News September 09, 2018 07:07 UTC