keyword pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  >  >>
< 1 of 632 >
Newar devotees circumambulate Kathmandu’s Seto Machhendranath temple. The cult of this idol is one of the oldest and most revered in the valley’s religion. The god is identified by the local Buddhist as Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattava of compassion, and by Hindus as Yamaraja, lord of death. Hindus come to light a candle before the idol when someone in the family is in danger of death. The idol receives a ritual bathing each winter before making its public appearance riding in a rath, or chariot, several weeks later. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Sadhus at their camps after initiation. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Sadhus at their camps after initiation. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Sadhus at ghat perform puja (offerings) to the sand lingams. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Sadhus at ghat for initiation. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Sadhus at ghat perform puja (offerings) to the sand lingams. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Barbers shaving sadhus' head prior to initiation. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Sadhus at ghat perform puja (offerings) to the sand lingams. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Barbers shaving sadhus' head prior to initiation. Around 500 sadhus were initiated this year at Kumbha Mela in Allahabad. In the late afternoon half a dozen of barber shaved their heads. The monks sat by patiently as this went on, occasionally raising their hands and shouting "HAR HAR MAHADEV!" of "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!" Shortly the procession to the ghat began, with hundreds of thousands of devotees lining the road. Every time the sadhus would shout "OM NAMAH SHIVAYA!", the crowd would shout the words back with loud devotion. Once at ghats, the two hour long initiation was conducted by head Pandit or head priest and several other senior priests, whose privilege it was to conduct the initiation of sadhus. As the ceremony went on, all the 500 or so sadhus would perform the same action at the same time, the offering of incense and flowers; bathing in river etc. The ceremony concluded with the donning of new loincloths and sacred thread. India.
Newar devotees circumambulate Kathmandu’s Seto Machhendranath temple. The cult of this idol is one of the oldest and most revered in the valley’s religion. The god is identified by the local Buddhist as Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattava of compassion, and by Hindus as Yamaraja, lord of death. Hindus come to light a candle before the idol when someone in the family is in danger of death. The idol receives a ritual bathing each winter before making its public appearance riding in a rath, or chariot, several weeks later.
Kathmandu, Nepal.
Newar devotees circumambulate Kathmandu’s Seto Machhendranath temple. The cult of this idol is one of the oldest and most revered in the valley’s religion. The god is identified by the local Buddhist as Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattava of compassion, and by Hindus as Yamaraja, lord of death. Hindus come to light a candle before the idol when someone in the family is in danger of death. The idol receives a ritual bathing each winter before making its public appearance riding in a rath, or chariot, several weeks later. Kathmandu, Nepal.
Newar devotees circumambulate Kathmandu’s Seto Machhendranath temple. The cult of this idol is one of the oldest and most revered in the valley’s religion. The god is identified by the local Buddhist as Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattava of compassion, and by Hindus as Yamaraja, lord of death. Hindus come to light a candle before the idol when someone in the family is in danger of death. The idol receives a ritual bathing each winter before making its public appearance riding in a rath, or chariot, several weeks later.
Kathmandu, Nepal.
See photo in original gallery.
keyword pages:  1  2  3  4  5  6  >  >>
< 1 of 632 >