The Blog — 17 posts

Kumbha Mela

Every teaching, story, and reflection filed under Kumbha Mela.

Spiritual AdventuresDec 26, 20121 min

Our next Spiritual Adventure explores Rajasthan

It's a little over a month before our next spiritual adventure begins. We'll be heading to North India this time and attending the Kumbha Mela festival as part of it. It will be quite the trip…

Photography & TravelMay 2, 20121 min

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…

Photography & TravelMay 1, 20121 min

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…

Photography & TravelApr 29, 20121 min

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…

Photography & TravelApr 28, 20121 min

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…

Photography & TravelApr 27, 20121 min

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…

Photography & TravelApr 27, 20121 min

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…

Photography & TravelApr 25, 20121 min

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…

HinduismAug 29, 20111 min

A Kumbha Mela photo from the archives

I was going through some photos from last year's Kumbha Mela festival in Haridwar, North India and came across this image of one of the sadhus and I thought I'd share it with you all.

HinduismMar 29, 20111 min

Can Women be Monks?

It is a question I get asked quite often and the answer, at least in the Hindu religion, is Yes! And if you want to be pedantic then they would more appropriately be called nuns.

Photography & TravelMar 13, 20112 min

Press for a Photo at the Kumbha Mela

The Kumbha Mela is, needless to say, a photographers paradise. For those of us who have never been to a Kumbha Mela or never will, it is these men and women that do their best to bring this…

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