INDIA 2009
Flower market in Nasik.
^ ^^^
Pilgrims in Nasik.
^ ^^^
Pilgrims near the bank of the Godawari river after cleansing bath dry their cloth on the concrete slabs.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Carved caves in Ellora contain 34 monuments such as monasteries, temples and chapels. From 7th to 12th century they were living in unity Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.
^ ^^^
Ellora. One of 12 Buddhist temples carved entirely in rock.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Palitana is one of the important and holy pilgrim centres of Jainism.
^ ^^^
On the top of Shetrunjaya hill in Palitana there are around 900 chapels and temples.
^ ^^^
Jain pilgrims are ascetics, vegetarians and travel in white robes. They wear face masks and small brushes in order not to swallow or trample any living being.
^ ^^^
The temple of the Sun from 11th c. in Modhera, Gujarat state.
^ ^^^
In front of the temple there is huge rectangular tank for water. Inside the tank there are 108 small shrines.
^ ^^^
Twice a year during the equinoxes the sun shone on the image of Syria, the God of the Sun.
^ ^^^
Exterior ornament of the temple of the sun.
^ ^^^
Dwaraka, it is one of the holiest Hindu places in India that draws many pilgrims. The temple was built in 16th century but it stands on a base of much older temple which is dated on 3000 BC according to archaeologists.
^ ^^^
According to Mahabharata 5 thousands years ago Lord Krishna established in Dwarka the capital of his kingdom which was flooded by sea. The large waving flag on the top of the temple is changed 5 times a day in a ceremonial way.
^ ^^^
Pilgrims in Dwarka after the morning prayer, perform Hindu rituals and welcome the rising sun.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Symbolic ritual of purification with flames.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Health store with ayurvedic remedies.
^ ^^^
A door to a shop with housewares.
^ ^^^
Harvest of india rubber.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Farmers spread the crops of cereal on roads and use the traffic as threshing machines.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Below there is the town Sravanabelagola (The monk of the white pond). It is a holy town for Jain worshippers.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
A priest performing morning prayer (puja) by the feet of Gomateshwara - one of the deities in Jainism.
^ ^^^
The 18m. granite statue of Lord Gomateshvara stands on the Vidhyagiri hill from the year 981.
^ ^^^
Goa.
^ ^^^
Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, consecrated in 1541 in Panajim, the capital of the state Goa.
^ ^^^
In central part of Hampi there is Virupaksha temple from 1442 dadicated to God Shiva. The standing tower is a 50 meter gopura for the temple.
^ ^^^
Low relief on a buildings of an ancient city of Hampi which was declared as UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.
^ ^^^
Gargoyle that drains liquids (ie.: water, milk) from the temple which are poured on deities inside the temple in the main sanctum.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Hampi. A statue of Ganesha - the God of prosperity.
^ ^^^
There are little sacks with stones hanging from the branches. The purpose unknown to me.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Mysore palace.
^ ^^^
Bazaar in Mysore.
^ ^^^
Bazaar in Mysore.
^ ^^^
Pongal is a harvest festival. In that time some people paint cows yellow.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
The golden temple in Bylakuppe.
^ ^^^
Balakuppe and surrounding villages are settlements of Tibetan refugees in South India.
^ ^^^
Buddhist prayer wheels.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Fishing nets in Kotchi in Kreala state.
^ ^^^
Freshly caught fish find new owners very quickly.
^ ^^^
Backwaters of Kerala it is a transport network of rivers, canals and lakes of around 900 kilometres.
^ ^^^
Many parts of Kerala were under Portuguese colonies who left behind many churches in the region.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Backwaters in Kerala until recently were the only form of transport in the region.
^ ^^^
The canals of backwaters face huge environmental problems. Growing population increases the amount of waste that gets in to the water. Busier traffic releases more oil into it. Pesticides in farming permeate into the waters. All that led to fish depletion, a drop in migratory birds or like in the picture to complete overgrowing by weeds like the Nile cabbage.
^ ^^^
Amrithapuri - a bridge to the ashram of Amritanandamayi Devi sometimes referred to as "The Hugging Saint" or "The Hugging Amma".
^ ^^^
After the British presence in India, cricket became the most popular game. Indians like to talk about it and play almost everywhere.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Ramanathaswarem temple from 12th century is built near the shore of the sea where there is only 33km to Sri Lanka. It is very important site for Hinduism where some important scene took place described in Ramajana, one of the holy books.
^ ^^^
The Bridge of Indira Gandhi in Rameswaram.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Rameswaram.
^ ^^^
Kanyakumari - the town on the cape Comorin the most southern part of India.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
On the cape at dawn and before a sunset crowds gather to see the appearing and disappearing sun. Kanyakumari is the only place in India where one can see sunrise and sunset above the sea surface.
^ ^^^
Steam railway to Ooty
^ ^^^
Steam railway to Ooty
^ ^^^
A hand crane near locomotive shed.
^ ^^^
Chidambaram temple.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Newlyweds.
^ ^^^
Some pilgrims travel in Jeeps. In this picture they have an image of the deity they follow, they gather around for short prayer.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Temple column with low relief. The faithful leave flowers, candles and spread butter on the relief.
^ ^^^
Evening procession with a cast of Nandi bull and the deity of Shiva around Brihadeeswara temple.
^ ^^^
A stone statue of Nandi bull, the companion and transport for Shiva. Symbolically, the faithful bring handful of hay and whisper their prayer-requests to the ear of the bull.
^ ^^^
In front of a temple women cook prasad that means food offered to God.
^ ^^^
Roadside altar in a rock for a swift prayer.
^ ^^^
Arunachaleswara temple in Thiruvannamalai is dedicated to Shiva where he is associated with fire. The temple is one of the biggest in India. It has 4 high gopuras (towers) and the highest is 66 meters and 13 stories.
^ ^^^
Arunachaleswara temple.
^ ^^^
Figures decorating a gopura.
^ ^^^
Mamallapuram near Chennai is known from ancient sculptures but the profession is still continued by local artisans.
^ ^^^
Mamallapuram.
^ ^^^
Mamallapuram.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
The figures on the beach are remains after a temple that stood here before the tsunami in 2004.In the nearby town at least 2000 people lost their lives. In the background there is a temporary temple.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Velanganni is catholic pilgrim's site. According to tradition the holy Mary and her son Jesus appeared here in 16th century.
^ ^^^
"The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health" in Velanganni.
^ ^^^
The Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni, also known as the "Lourdes of the East," is one of the most frequented religious sites in India.
^ ^^^
Kolkata.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Flower bazaar in Kolkata.
^ ^^^
Flower bazaar in Kolkata.
^ ^^^
Flower bazaar in Kolkata.
^ ^^^
Flower bazaar in Kolkata.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Tea vendor. The little bowls are disposable and made of clay.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya is the place in India where prince Siddhardha Gottoma known as the Budda achieved enlightenment under a fig tree. In this picture there is the main temple in Bodhgaya.
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya draws Buddhists from all over the world. Many countries with bigger population of Buddhist followers have one of their temples built in Bodhgaya.
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya
^ ^^^
Bodhgaya
^ ^^^
Sadhu near the holy Ganges river in Varanasi.
^ ^^^
Varanasi.
^ ^^^
A hand laundry on the shore of Ganges.
^ ^^^
Varanasi.
^ ^^^
Varanasi. At the sight of this pedestrian most people give way.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
During the Holi day, people sprinkle colourful powders on one another.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
Haji Ali Mosque in Mumbai.
^ ^^^
Victoria railway station in Mumbai.
^ ^^^
Commuter train in Mumbai.
^ ^^^
Taj Mahal from the side of Jamuna river that carries tons of products of the plastic generation.
^ ^^^
Taj Mahal.
^ ^^^
A steam narrow-gauge railway to Darjeeling.
^ ^^^
^ ^^^
^ ^^^