Vrindavan, India | Monochrome Monday
Two women peer from their doorway in Vrindavan, India. Vrindavan is a holy city in northern India. The Hindu deity Krishna is said to have spent his childhood here.
Dawn at Varanasi
The sun slowly emerges through the morning haze and across the Ganges as I trudge along ancient ghats. Thus, a new day begins in timeworn Varanasi, the holiest of cities in India. As I find my way up and down and across endless ghats in near darkness, my other senses are acuter. I am aware of the creaking boatman's oar, the lapping of water against the worn steps, quiet voices murmuring - no, softly repeating mantras. A potpourri of aromas fills my nostrils like a breeze filling stillness. There’s the scent of woodsmoke from the endlessly burning funeral pyres, the ooze of life and death flowing by, and sweat.
“The Observer,” Kumba Mela Festival, India
A man, clutching his chillum, gazes over the throngs of devotees gathered at the world's largest religious festival, Kumba Mela, in Allahabad, India. Millions come during this holiest of Hindu religious festivals to bathe away their sins with a "Holy Dip" in the sacred River Ganges.
Morning Worship Along the Ganges
A Hindu devotee performs his morning rituals on the banks of the Ganges River in the ancient city of Varanasi. This morning liturgy includes the cleansing of the body and mind with holy water from the Mother Ganges while reciting prayers and mantras. Hindus believe that adherence to a series of daily morning and evening rituals will curry them favor in life and will purify them for their quest for communion with God.
Kumar Tuli Still Life
Kumar Tuli, the potters' quarter, lies along the banks of the River Hooghly in the sprawling mega-city, Calcutta, in Northeastern India. The villagers create the clay idols of Hindu gods…
Ethereal Bali
Mid afternoon and the mountains disappear behind a curtain of fog. Though near the equator, the temperature drops; a chilling breeze gently stirs leaves. Twin pagodas appear to be floating,…
Morning Watch in Ancient Varanasi
Crows watch over the early morning rituals at Munshi Ghat on the banks of the River Ganges in the ancient city of Varanasi in northern India.
Impressions of India
It is impossible to not be in awe of what is India. She is at once chaotic, unruly, exaggerated and constantly in motion. The pace of life is frenetic and I believe all of India must be sleep deprived. It is impossible, at least for me, to fully understand, much less describe her. And that's the fascination.
Discovering the Escher-esque Chand Baori, Abhaneri , India
Oh my gosh, what a sight. Imagine an ancient Egyptian pyramid inverted and thoughtfully lodged into the ground. Chand Baori is over 100 feet deep and is lined with 3,500 symmetrical steps on three sides allowing access to water regardless of the level. The symmetrical, though dizzying, zig-zag pattern of the stone steps is reminiscent of an Escher drawing.
Reflections Across the Koi Pond
The shimmering water, the colorful koi, and the reflections of the gayly dressed ladies across the way make for a vibrant abstract. The Pura Tirta Empul, where the image was…