Tag: Hindu monks
9 Posts
Painted Faces of Hindu Monks and Priests
Hindus wear markings on their forehead for many purposes. Some markings denote the sect they belong to, others tell if a woman is married or not, and some have deeper metaphysical reasons. Hindu priests and monks can often be seen wearing the most elaborate of facial markings. The markings are ma...
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Sadhus at the Kumbh Mela
Here’s the final photo in our 14 day series of images of Sadhus. The biggest gathering of sadhus takes place every 3 years at the Kumbha Mela festival. It comes around again next year but time a little special. Every 12 years the full festival is celebrated and this just happens to be in 20...
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Day 12 of our Sadhu Image Series
Well, we are coming close to the end of our 14 day series of images of some of Hinduism’s renunciates that I have photographed over the years. Sadhus are particularly photogenic I must say and the Kumbha Mela festival is probably the best time to photograph a sadhu if you are a photography ...
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Monks embracing technology
For Day 11 of our series of images on sadhus I bring you a photo I took about 3 years back at the Kumbha Mela festival in Haridwar of a sadhu. I was focused on a photographing a parade when I noticed someone standing next to me. I peeked out of the corner of my…
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Parade of Sadhus at the Kumbha Mela
One of the visually striking things at the Kumbha Mela is the parades that take place mainly on the main bathing day during the festival. Here a sadhu dances jubilantly waving a long sword as he parades down the street with thousands of other monastics headed to the sacred Ganges river. The spect...
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Gallery of Sadhus, Kumbha Mela (Day 8)
Certain sects of monastics within Hinduism, most notably the naga sadhus, often cover their entire body with ash. Ash symbolizes the transient nature of life and things. The application of ash on their body is a constant reminder that their body will be gone one day but the soul that they are is ...
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Gallery of Sadhus, Kumbha Mela (Day 9)
It does not happen often but you’ll find from time to time young men taking to the monastic path early on in life. The world no longer holds any fascination to them and they realize the transient nature of life, thus they seek the Self. My guru says the following “The Self: you can...
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Sadhvi, Hindu Women Monastics
You don’t see too many women monks, or nuns if you are being pedantic, but there are some. Women generally tend to gravitate towards the householders path therefore you see fewer women renunciates then you do men. Here’s a photo of a sadhvi, a woman monastic. Men are called sadhus. Th...
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