The Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu is generally regarded by Hindus as the most sacred of all temples devoted to Lord Shiva. Thousands of devotees visit the site every day from Nepal, India and other parts of the world. And on a special day like Shivratri, it is a sight to behold.
I was lucky to be in Kathmandu when this festival happened in 2010. And earlier commentators were not wrong when they listed it as a must-attend event. Literally a sea of devotees (over 600,000) started streaming in from the day before. Add to it hundreds of stalls selling items of worship and other shopping, food stalls, live devotional songs and performances and bright lighting and you have a perfect carnival environment. [continue reading…]
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festival,
Great Himalayan Drive,
Hindu,
Kathmandu,
Nepal,
Pashupatinath,
Sadhus,
Shiva,
Shivratri
Even when sin is for sale, there are no taboos in invoking the Gods to close a deal.
Here is the not so surprising part: Walking around in Thamel in Kathmandu after sunset, I had a few boys come up to me and whispering if I would like to smoke hash. No thank you I said. And then one came up asking if I would like ‘some enjoyment’ with beautiful women. I smiled at the guy with a shake of my head to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.” And then came the surprise. [continue reading…]
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Drugs,
festival,
Hash,
Hindu,
Kathmandu,
Nepal,
Prostitution,
Red Light,
Sex,
Shivratri,
Thamel
Young girls serving tea during the Christmas Carnival in Kohima in Nagaland
These photos were taken in Kohima in Nagaland in December 2009 during the Hornbill Festival. Every evening, the main market would close and the streets given out to those who set up stalls to sell food, gifts and more. These included youngsters out to make pocket money, business, NGOs and some church bodies. All in all, great fun to walk around interacting with the locals.
Click on any image for a bigger view. You can also go to Facebook or Flickr to see the complete set. [continue reading…]
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Christmas Carnival,
festival,
Hornbill,
Kohima,
Nagaland
Evening Arati (Prayer) during the Maha Kumbh Mela (Fair) in Haridwar, Uttarakhand located along the holy river Ganges
This set of photos were taken at the Maha Kumbh Mela (fair) at Haridwar, a once-in-12-year event. The 2010 edition started on January 14 to end on April 28. This photo was taken on January 15. Click on any image for a larger view.
It is an occasion for Hindus to come to Haridwar and take a dip / bath in the River Ganges, considered holy by them. And freezing temperatures rarely dissuade them from doing so. View more images on Facebook or Flickr. Click here to see some more images
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festival,
Ganges,
Haridwar,
Himalayas,
Hindu,
Hindusim,
Holy,
Kumbh Mela,
Mahakumbh,
religion,
uttarakhand,
uttaranchal
I have just returned from the north-eastern state of Nagaland, for long a state affected by political violence and underdevelopment. Even before I left, friends and family expressed concerns over my decision to explore this volatile region. The usual expression was, Why Nagaland? I could not answer this before I left, but now I can.
For starters, safety is currently a non-issue. And hope it stays that way. I spoke to Government officials, Army and Police personnel, locals and other tourists – they all gave a thumbs up. They were not wrong. [continue reading…]
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festival,
Himalayas,
Hornbill,
Nagaland,
North-East
Amused Buddhist Nuns at Hemis Monastery, Ladakh
This shot of Buddhist nuns was captured during the annual festival of the Hemis Monastery in Ladakh. Click on the image for a larger view. You can view and order more such images at the Kunzum Gallery.
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buddhism,
festival,
hemis,
Himalayas,
Ladakh,
monastery,
Nuns
Dancer in Yellow Mask with Flag at Hemis Monastery Festival, Ladakh
This photograph of the masked dancer was taken at the annual festival of the Hemis Monastery in Ladakh. It has also been selected for a permanent display at the Museum of Cannes, France.
Click on the image for a larger view. You can view and order more such images at the Kunzum Gallery.
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buddhism,
festival,
hemis,
Himalayas,
Ladakh,
Masked Dancer,
monastery
Any celebration in India has to be accompanied with food. Period. Everything else is incidental.
Take the Dussehra celebrations in Subhash Park, also known as Parade Ground, located across the road from Red Fort in Old Delhi. Venue of the biggest Ramlila, stage performances based on Ramayana depicting the life of Hindu Lord Rama, you will find food stalls galore. Most selling street food of the area. This includes chaats of all kinds, differently flavoured home made ice creams, chilas, chole kulchas, tikkis, all kinds of sweets, fresh juices, lollies made from freshly crushed ice and lots more. All prepared fresh as you wait.
Click on any image for a larger view. [continue reading…]
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Chandni Chowk,
Delhi,
Diwali,
Dussehra,
festival,
food,
Hindu,
Hinduism,
Old Delhi,
Rama,
Ramayana,
Ramlila,
religion
The actors in the Dussehra procession have no fancy green rooms with teams of make-up and costume artists. They set up base in a modest guest house in Cycle Market in Old Delhi, and a single person gets to work on them.
This make-up artist is Shyam Sharma who single-handedly gets nearly 50 actors ready within a few hours. And he has been doing so since 1984. A music teacher and a linguist in Hindi rest of the year, he only does this voluntary work for 12 days with his briefcase of unbranded cosmetics. [continue reading…]
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Chandni Chowk,
Delhi,
Diwali,
Dussehra,
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Hindu,
Hinduism,
Old Delhi,
Rama,
Ramayana,
Ramlila,
Ravana,
religion
I used to go to watch the Dussehra procession in Old Delhi as child; I must have last gone 25-30 years back. And when I went back this year, I could not help drawing comparisons between the versions I remember and the one I currently witnessed. Here are some key differences:
Click on any image for a larger view
The procession would earlier start at about 4 pm. It now starts at 6 pm. Reason given by organizers? The bulls that pull the floats would come in the morning itself earlier. And their owners would be happy with a tip of ten rupees. But they are very busy now carting goods, and even a few hundred rupees are not enough to entice them. So they come only after finishing their regular work. Yes, old Delhi still uses carts pulled by bulls, cows, horses and men to ferry goods. [continue reading…]
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Chandni Chowk,
Delhi,
Diwali,
Dussehra,
festival,
Hindu,
Hinduism,
Old Delhi,
Rama,
Ramayana,
Ramlila,
Ravana,
religion
Who are the actors and organizers participating in the Dussehra processions? And what motivates them to be a part of it?
Click on any image for a larger view
For one, most of them are not professional actors. They are students, businessmen and professionals who stop whatever they are doing for a fortnight to be a part of the festivities. No one is paid – it is all voluntary. In fact, many even end of spending out of pocket to pay for meals, refreshments etc. Some are newcomers, many old-timers. [continue reading…]
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Chandni Chowk,
Delhi,
Diwali,
Dussehra,
festival,
Hindu,
Hinduism,
Old Delhi,
Rama,
Ramayana,
Ramlila,
Ravana,
religion
No other festival in India is celebrated the way Dussehra is. It is celebrated in most parts of the country, and stretches to 10-12 days. You can witness stage performances of Ramayana, the story of Hindu God Rama, fairs, special prayer sessions and burning of the effigy of Ravana, the demon king slayed by Lord Rama. But few people know of the special procession that takes place in Old Delhi every year.
Click on any of the images for a larger view
I was lucky to witness this procession every year as a child – my mother’s family roots in old Delhi meant we could visit relatives, stand in their balconies and watch this procession go by. Returning to this event after over 25 years meant a lot of nostalgic memories coming back, even as all relatives have either moved out or I have lost contact with. [continue reading…]
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Chandni Chowk,
Delhi,
Diwali,
Dussehra,
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Hindu,
Hinduism,
Old Delhi,
Rama,
Ramayana,
Ramlila,
Ravana,
religion
I went looking for the famed oracles of Matho gompa. I was disappointed to learn that they appear only during the annual Nagrang Festival in February or March.
Dorje Palzang, Matho’s founder, brought from Tibet the two brothers Rongtsan Kar and Mar, known for their protective powers. The oracles now are two lamas from Matho (chosen every four years), possessed by the spirits of Rongtsan Kar and Mar during the festival.
In a trance, they perform stunning acts. They run along walls and rooftops without falling off. They cut their mouths and hands with sharp knives, bleeding profusely and yet their wounds heal in a day! They walk about in masks without eyeholes, seeing through the angry eyes of deities painted on their torsos. [continue reading…]
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festival,
Ladakh,
Matho,
monastery
While visiting the Basgo monastery, I heard some drums beating from the village below. Curious, I followed these sounds through some village trails – and chanced upon an annual archery competition taking place.
{Click on any of the images for a larger view}
Sonam Angchok, one of the participants who also works in the local post office, and others were happy to have me in attendance, explaining the event over a cup of tea they were carrying in large thermoses. Villagers are divided into two teams, A and B, and they shoot arrows at a black target with a clay white centre. You get three points for hitting the white area, one for black and another two if you chip any part of the white part. Villagers would come all through the day to shoot with points getting added to their respective team’s tally. The winning team gets a token Rs. 200 (US$ 4) award. [continue reading…]
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Archery,
Basgo,
festival,
Himalayas,
Ladakh,
Leh
Fire Dancers at the Bikaner Festival in Rajasthan in January 2009
I was lucky to have been in Bikaner to witness their annual camel festival held from January 10-12 this year. One of the most fascinating events was the fire dance performed by members of the Siddh who are known to have a special vardaan or divine powers to be able to walk and dance of burning wood and coal. See all the images on Flickr. [continue reading…]
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bikaner,
festival,
Fire Dance,
Rajasthan
The bored lama boy at Hemis Monastery in Ladakh
This image was taken by me at Hemis Monastery near Leh in Ladakh on the occasion of their annual festival in June 2008. It had started raining on the day – totally unseasonal in this cold desert area, and despite the Lamas (Buddhist monks) being sure it never rains on the festival weekend – and everyone was waiting for the open air event to start. This Lama Boy seemed to be all bored – or contemplative – with nothing else to do. [continue reading…]
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festival,
hemis,
Ladakh,
lama boy,
Leh,
monastery
Many Buddhist monasteries in the Ladakh and Tibetan regions have a tradition of annual festivals, going back hundreds of years. They are usually dance spectacles with colourful costumes and masks adorned by the lamas (monks) for the occasion. Solemn ceremonies in their own way, it borders on the amusing when you see them practicing leading up to the big day. Like I was witness to at the Phiyang Monastery near Leh in July 2008 a few days before their festival.
For one, it was an opportunity to see the lamas let their guard down away from public eye and behave just like lesser mortals; they were practising in an area usually not open to outsiders. Before I witnessed these sessions, the image of a lama came across as someone who smiled but did not laugh, one who spoke but did not talk too much and one who always seemed a bit serious about everything. [continue reading…]
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buddhist,
festival,
Kashmir,
Ladakh,
lamas,
Leh,
phiyang
