|
RECENT ENTRIES |
- • Flooding in Britain - 02.14
- • Sochi 2014 Olympics: Reaching the podium - 02.13
- • The 2014 Westminster Dog Show - 02.10
- • 2014 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Soch - 02.07

Translate into:
(Hint: Use 'j' and 'k' keys to move up and down)
| September 7, 2009 |
Recent Hindu festivals and rituals
Many Hindus throughout India recently celebrated Ganesha Chaturthi, a 10-day festival celebrating the birth of Ganesh, their supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Hinduism, the predominant religion in India, is rich with traditional festivals and rituals, celebrated in many ways and locations around the world. Collected here are a few photographs from recent Hindu festivals and of Hindu devotees worshipping and practicing ritual ceremonies in India, England, Nepal and Indonesia. (36 photos total)

Hindu devotees carry a statue of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh on a bullock cart during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009. The idols are immersed into oceans or rivers at the end of the ten day long festival that celebrates the birth of Ganesh. (AP Photo/Dhiraj Singh)

Devotees carry a statue of the Hindu elephant god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, for immersion in the sea on the last day of "Ganesh Chaturthi" in Mumbai September 3, 2009. Clay statues of Ganesh are made two to three months before the day of "Ganesh Chaturthi", a popular religious festival in India. The idols are taken through the streets in a procession accompanied by dancing and singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of his journey towards his abode in "Kailash", while taking away with him the misfortunes of all mankind. (REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe) #

A child dressed as Lord Ganesh, the Living Goddess Kumari Devi looks out from a window before being brought out to the public for display and worship during the Indrajatra festival in Kathmandu September 3, 2009. Nepal's Newar community began celebrating the Hindu festival of Indrajatra with the worship of the Kumari, or "living goddess", and the god of rain, Lord Indra. (REUTERS/Shruti Shrestha) #

A Hindu pilgrim feeds a sacred cow at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, on August 16, 2009, as it holds an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna. Over 65,000 pilgrims and guests were expected to visit Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple during the three day festival to celebrate Janmashtami. This year's theme for the Krishna festival is the symbiotic relationship that exists between man, cows and the environment. (BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) #

A Hindu devotee gets his mouth pierced as he takes part in an annual religious procession called "Shitla Mata" in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh August 16, 2009. Hindu devotees subject themselves to painful rituals during the religious procession to demonstrate their faith and as a penance to the deity at a temple dedicated to the goddess Shitla. (REUTERS/Ajay Verma) #

Hindu women take part in a traditional dance at Pashupati Nath Temple during celebrations of the "Teej" festival in Kathmandu August 23, 2009. Married Hindu women wear red bridal dresses to celebrate the Teej festival and pray for a long life and the well-being of their husbands. Unmarried women observe the festival by praying for a good husband. (REUTERS/Shruti Shrestha) #

A Hindu woman celebrating the Rishi Panchami festival helps her friend to take a holy dip in the Bagmati River in Kathmandu August 24, 2009. During the festival, women worship Sapta Rishi (seven saints) by taking a holy bath, which symbolises the washing off of all the sins and impurity of the whole year. (REUTERS/Shruti Shrestha) #

Hindu devotees gather during "Gokarna Aunsi" at Gokarneshwar temple at Gokarna, a suburb of Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. On this auspicious day, Nepalese Hindus gather at the shrine of Lord Shiva to perform anniversary rituals in memory of their departed fathers. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) #

Hindu pilgrims carry a life size model of the late Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, on August 16, 2009, as it holds an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna. (BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images) #

Thousands of Tenggerese tribespeople climb up the holy Mount Bromo in Probolinggo, East Java, on September 6, 2009, during the Hindu Yadnya Kasada festival. During the annual Yadnya Kasada festival the Tenggerese climb Mount Bromo, an active volcano, and seek the blessing from the main deity Hyang Widi Wasa by presenting offerings of rice, fruit, livestock and other local produce. (Mochammad RISYAL HIDAYAT/AFP/Getty Images) #

Hindu worshippers pray during the Kasada festival at Mount Bromo in Indonesia's East Java province September 6, 2009. Villagers and worshippers throw offerings into the volcanic crater of Mount Bromo during the festival to give thanks to the Hindu gods for ensuring their safety and prosperity. (REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas (INDONESIA SOCIETY) #

Local villagers try to catch a chicken thrown by Hindu worshippers into the crater of Mount Bromo during Kasada festival in Probolinggo, East java, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009. Every year people gathered for the annual festival where offerings of rice, fruit, vegetables, livestock or money are made to Hindu gods at the active volcano to ask for blessings and assure a bountiful harvest. (AP Photo/Trisnadi) #
More links and information
Old Faith Innovates in a New Land - NYTimes.com, 8/27
Hinduism - Wikipedia entry
List of Hindu festivals - Wikipedia entry























