The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (74 page)

Aghlabids
.

Muslim dynasty in N. Africa and Sicily, 800–909 (AH 184–296), after when they were overthrown by the
F
imids
.

 
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(Skt., ‘non-terrific’). A
Tantric
aiva
sect existing to the present day, renowned for
antinomian
practices which include consuming ordure and corpse-flesh. They venerate a tradition of
gurus
and worship
iva
as Aghora, or the goddess as
tal
, Parnag
r
, or
K
l
. Like their predecessors, the
k
p
likas
, they carry a skull which they use as a bowl, dwell in cremation grounds, and cover themselves in the ashes of corpses. Some take an intoxicating drink of
bhanga
. Aghor
gurus were not cremated but buried in an upright meditation posture.