festival

ceremony · festival

Sufi Kalandars or wandering ascetics puls out their eyes using a knife and iron rods, pierce their cheeks and tongue using iron rods during a procession of Ajmer Urs in Rajasthan. Located in the heart of Rajasthan, Ajmer is a small town.

festival · temple

Drunk man stumbles about during procession of annual Chamayavilakku festival at Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple, Chavara near Kollam, Kerala.

West Bengal·festival

It's mela time in Dharmatala, a locality in Kolkata commonly known as Esplanade. A local physician sells an ointment to heal Khujli- an ointment to cure itching.

Uttar Pradesh·livestock · festival

A Hindu Sadhu with his five-legged cow at Ardh Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. He calls devotees to take blessings from the five-legged cow. He calls the cow an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

Jaipur, Rajasthan·festival · river

Fire breather has flames shoot out of his mouth to create a stream or ball of flame during the Gangaur Procession in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Gangaur is all about honoring the goddess Gauri.

festival

You may have heard of different kinds of fairs including cattle fair. But this village in Yadgir district of Karnataka celebrated a “scorpion fair.” In this annual fair on Nagara Panchami, people not only offer puja to scorpions but also ta…

festival

With wild boar tushes on their heads, red poms-poms, adorned with hornbill feathers and real-life axes, these Konyak Naga tribal boys from Nagaland seem to be really into their Abba and Bryan Adams (?).

Uttarakhand·festival · village

Three week long Nanda Devi Raj Jat is one of the world's famous festivals of Uttarakhand in India. People from entire Garhwal division-Kumaon division as well as other parts of India and the world participate in Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra.

festival · river

Poor children stand in wet Sunderbans mangrove mud and hold up nets, asking for charity from passing Hindu pilgrims, during the Gangasagar mela in West Bengal.

festival · hills

Hunting of frogs demonstrated by Phom Naga men at Hornbill Festival, Kisama Heritage Village in Nagaland. Frog hunting or frog catching games has evolved as a traditional practise specially among the Phom menfolks both young and old.

festival

A bizarre festival of playing and showing tricks with live King Cobras is an attention grabber among the hundreds of festivals in India. Hundreds are gathered at the venue of the festival.

festival

Jhapan is one of the most unique festivals celebrated in West Bengal. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Mansha, Mansha Devi is the daughter of Lord Shiva, who is also considered to be the Goddess of Snakes.

river · festival

Kumbh has a mesmerising influence over the minds of Indians as it is witness to the largest human gathering in history for the same cause on a single day irrespective of any worldly barriers of caste, creed, colour and religion.

village · livestock

While everyone else burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate Deepavali, the villagers of Gomatapura on Tamil Nadu and Karnataka border collected cow dung for a couple of days only to throw at each other.

sport · festival

All participants trying hard to lift a tyre in tyre lifting competition during Kila Raipur Sports Festival, 2016.

festival

Ber and Kamrak for sale: Diwali buzz with man digging his nose Retail on Delhi's streets - mobile shops on bicycles in Delhi, even as a man retails ber or Indian jujube (Zizyphus) and kamrak or star-fruit.

village · livestock

Much less pollution by celebrating Diwali this way! While everyone else burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate Deepavali, the villagers of Gomatapura on Tamil Nadu and Karnataka border collected cow dung for a couple of days onl…

livestock · festival

Much less pollution by celebrating Diwali this way! While everyone else burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate Deepavali, the villagers of Gomatapura on Tamil Nadu and Karnataka border collected cow dung for a couple of days onl…

festival

Besides cultural performances from various tribal troupes from various districts and villages, the festival also offers an indigenous 'meat kicking' competition which is the special attraction at Hornbill festival in Nagaland.

Himachal Pradesh·festival · dance

Himachali men wear grass skirts and dance, which is part of Faguli festival in Himachal Pradesh. It could be weird for rest of the country or world. Faguli derives its name from the local word for Spring season (Falgun).

sport · festival

An Indian man lifts massive weight from his eye socket at Rural Olympics or Kila Raipur Sports Festival organise by Grewal Sports Association in Ludhiana.

ceremony · river

Chhat Puja is considered a true test of a would-be devotee's piety, since the rituals often call for great physical and mental strength.

sport · village

Handstand on bricks by physically challenged Indian. It was in 1933. Philanthropist Inder Singh Grewal visualised an annual recreational meet where farmers from areas surrounding Kila Raipur could get together and test their corporal endura…