Hinduism
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A severed cows head at a slaughterhouse, Newmarket, Kolkata, India. The cow is sacred to Hindus, but India is not all Hindus.
Muslims pray during Eid al-Adha on Red Road in Kolkata, India. Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday, and Red Road is considered perhaps the most auspicious site in Kolkata. More than 50,000 people pray here en masse. Editorial note: These are the only images captured of this event in 2012 by a foreign photographer.
Crates of soft drinks ("cold drinks") at a warehouse in Sovabazar, India. Plastic bottles are more expensive in India and not purchased as much as they are in the US. Glass bottles are reused.
Muslims pray during Eid al-Adha on Red Road in Kolkata, India. Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday, and Red Road is considered perhaps the most auspicious site in Kolkata. More than 50,000 people pray here en masse. Editorial note: These are the only images captured of this event in 2012 by a foreign photographer.
Durga Puja idols sits in piles at Babughat in Kolkata, India. The idols are statues of Hindu gods and goddesses that are brought to the Hooghly RIver and immersed, and then immediately pulled out to prevent pollution.
A family performs puja to Ganesh in their home in the Lalbaug neighborhood of Mumbai, India. Lalbaug is the epicenter of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which is celebrated throughout the Hindu world.
Durga Puja idols are immersed in the Hooghly River in Kolkata, India. The idols are statues of Hindu gods and goddesses that are brought to the rIver and immersed, and then immediately pulled out to prevent pollution.
Eyes are painted on a Durga Puja idol at a workshop in Kumartoli (Potter's Town), Kolkata, India. The idols are said to come alive when the eyes are painted.
Men load a Durga Puja idol onto a truck in Kumartoli (Potter's Town), Kolkata, India. The idol will be taken to one of the 2,500 pandals (a temporary temple of sorts) in Kolkata during the Duga Puja festival.
Nighttime view of Lakshmi idols being immersed in the Hooghly Rver - and then immediately taken out to avoid pollution - during Lakshmi Puja, Kolkata, India.
Large Ganpati (Ganesh idols) are immersed into the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty Beach, during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Mumbai, India.
Hindus perform puja (prayers) on the banks of the Hooghy River in observance of Mahalaya, a tribute to deceased relatives, Kolkata, India.
Workers take a siesta on a sidewalk in Kumartoli, Kolkata, India. Sleeping in public is very common in Kolkata.
Women from a family dance at Babughat during the Durga Puja festival, Kolkata, India. They're about to immerse the family's idol of the Goddess Durga into the nearby Hooghly River.
A massive crowd gathers for the culmination of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Lalbaug, Mumbai, India. Although Ganesh Chaturthi is observed around the world, Lalbaug is the epicenter of the festival, when several large Ganesh Idols are marched from pandals in the city out to Chowpatty Beach to be immersed in the Arabian Sea.
A woman makes an offering to Kushmanda, one of the nine Nava-Durgas (forms of the Goddess Durga) during the Durga Puja festival, at a temple near Barabazar on the Ganges River, Kolkata, India.
A family immerses their Ganesh Idol in the Arabian Sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival, Mumbai, India.
Large Ganpati (Ganesh idols) are immersed into the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty Beach, during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Mumbai, India.
A large Ganesh idol in a pandal in Shekwalhi, Mumbai, India. Taken during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
A family loads their Ganpati (Ganesh idol) on a truck, in preparation to immerse it in the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai, India.
Colored lights warm up a neigborhood in Lake Gardens, Kolkata, India, during the epic Durga Puja festival.
Large Ganpati (Ganesh idols) are immersed into the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty Beach, during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Mumbai, India.
A massive crowd gathers for the culmination of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Lalbaug, Mumbai, India. Although Ganesh Chaturthi is observed around the world, Lalbaug is the epicenter of the festival, when several large Ganesh Idols are marched from pandals in the city out to Chowpatty Beach to be immersed in the Arabian Sea.
Interior of a large and elaborate pandal (temporary temple of sorts) to the Goddess Durga during the Durga Puja festival, Gariahat, Kolkata, India. There are 2,500 pandals in Kolkata during the epic festival. In 2012 this was the winning pandal.
Durga Puja idols are painted and dressed at a workshop in Kumartoli (Potter's Town), Kolkata, India.
Muslims pray during Eid al-Adha on Red Road in Kolkata, India. Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday, and Red Road is considered perhaps the most auspicious site in Kolkata. More than 50,000 people pray here en masse. Editorial note: These are the only images captured of this event in 2012 by a foreign photographer.
A family from Mumbai, India performs puja (prayer) to Ganesh on Chowpatty Beach, during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
Illuminated LED animatronic figures on display in Gariahat, Kolkata, India, during the Durga Puja festival.
Muslims pray during Eid al-Adha on Red Road in Kolkata, India. Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday, and Red Road is considered perhaps the most auspicious site in Kolkata. More than 50,000 people pray here en masse. Editorial note: These are the only images captured of this event in 2012 by a foreign photographer.
Idols are pulled from the Hooghly River with a crane during the Durga Puja festival, Kolkata, India. The idols are immersed by residents during the festival, but policy changes say they have to be pulled out immediately afterwards to avoid polluting the river.
Hindu families perform rituals at Armenian Ghat on the Hooghly River at the beginning of the Durga Puja Festival, Kolkata, India.
A family in the back of a truck brings an idol of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi to Babughat in Kolkata, India, to immerse it in the Hooghly River. Lakshmi Puja, as it's called, is celebrated after Durga Puja, the biggest festival in Kolkata.
Muslims pray during Eid al-Adha on Red Road in Kolkata, India. Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday, and Red Road is considered perhaps the most auspicious site in Kolkata. More than 50,000 people pray here en masse. Editorial note: These are the only images captured of this event in 2012 by a foreign photographer.
A family performs puja to Ganesh in their home in the Lalbaug neighborhood of Mumbai, India. Lalbaug is the epicenter of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which is celebrated throughout the Hindu world.
A boy takes the heads off of religious idols at Babughat in Kolkata, India, during the Durga Puja festival. The idols are immersed into the nearby Hooghy River during the festival, but are immediately taken out by the government to avoid polluting the river.
Muslims pray during Eid al-Adha on Red Road in Kolkata, India. Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday, and Red Road is considered perhaps the most auspicious site in Kolkata. More than 50,000 people pray here en masse. Editorial note: These are the only images captured of this event in 2012 by a foreign photographer.
Mixed spices, fruits, and vegetables are offered during prayers at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, India.
A man performs rituals for the beginning of the Durga Puja festival at Armenian Ghat near Howrah Bridge, Kolkata, India.
Interior of a large and elaborate pandal (temporary temple of sorts) to the Goddess Durga during the Durga Puja festival, Gariahat, Kolkata, India. There are 2,500 pandals in Kolkata during the epic festival. In 2012 this was the winning pandal.
Lakshmi remains after a Durga Puja pandal is disassembled in Bowbazar, Kolkata, India. She will be the subject of her own puja and immersion - Lakshmi Puja.
Hindu families perform rituals at Armenian Ghat on the Hooghly River at the beginning of the Durga Puja Festival, Kolkata, India.
A group of men immerse their Ganesh Idol in the Arabian Sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival, Mumbai, India.
Hindus perform prayers on the Hooghly River during Mahalaya, a tribute to deceased relatives, Sovabazar Ghat, Kolkata, India.
A massive crowd gathers for the culmination of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Lalbaug, Mumbai, India. Although Ganesh Chaturthi is observed around the world, Lalbaug is the epicenter of the festival, when several large Ganesh Idols are marched from pandals in the city out to Chowpatty Beach to be immersed in the Arabian Sea.
A Ganesh idol washed up on Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai, India after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Hundreds of idols are immersed in the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty Beach.
A family from Mumbai, India performs puja (prayer) to Ganesh on Chowpatty Beach, during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
A boy takes the heads off of religious idols at Babughat in Kolkata, India, during the Durga Puja festival. The idols are immersed into the nearby Hooghy River during the festival, but are immediately taken out by the government to avoid polluting the river.
Muslims pray during Eid al-Adha on Red Road in Kolkata, India. Eid al-Adha is the most important Muslim holiday, and Red Road is considered perhaps the most auspicious site in Kolkata. More than 50,000 people pray here en masse. Editorial note: These are the only images captured of this event in 2012 by a foreign photographer.
Durga Puja idols sits in piles at Babughat in Kolkata, India. The idols are statues of Hindu gods and goddesses that are brought to the Hooghly RIver and immersed, and then immediately pulled out to prevent pollution.
Large Ganpati (Ganesh idols) are immersed into the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty Beach, during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Mumbai, India.
A massive crowd gathers for the culmination of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Lalbaug, Mumbai, India. Although Ganesh Chaturthi is observed around the world, Lalbaug is the epicenter of the festival, when several large Ganesh Idols are marched from pandals in the city out to Chowpatty Beach to be immersed in the Arabian Sea.
A Durga Puja pandal in the Lord's More neighborhood of Kolkata, India, near the Lake Gardens Railway Station.
