An Auspicious Day

 

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“Engage yourself in all that is auspicious.”
(From the Sama Veda, the third of the four Vedas / sāman “melody” + veda “knowledge”)

One early morning those ladies came from far away to worship in the holy waters of the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
It was a Monday, Lord Shiva’s day and as Shiva is the God of the city it was an auspicious day for them.
After taking a deep in the river, they washed and stretched many clothes along the ghats.
By the amount of items drying under the sun, it was clear that those pilgrims had a long journey.

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Pursuit of Happiness Photography

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“I have never taken a picture for any other reason than that at that moment it made me happy to do so.”
(Jacques Henri Lartigue – French photographer and painter, 1894–1986)

One early morning those ladies came from far away to worship in the holy waters of the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
It was a Monday, Lord Shiva’s day and as Shiva is the God of the city it was an auspicious day for them.
After taking a deep in the river, they washed and stretched many clothes along the ghats.
By the amount of items drying under the sun, it was clear that those pilgrims had a long journey.

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In God’s Hands

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“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess”
(Martin Luther – German Priest and Scholar whose questioning led to the Protestant Reformation, 1483-1546)

Three ladies were performing a puja at Gay ghat at the feet of the big statue of Nandi which stands in front of several Shiva ligams.
We were alone and they smiled at me, the day was rising up among a heavy mist.
I didn’t want to disturb that moment but they insisted that I took some pictures, they seemed to be happy.

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One Face Appears

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“Let the ascetics sing of the garden of Paradise
We who dwell in the true ecstasy can forget their vase-tamed bouquet.

In our hall of mirrors, the map of the one Face appears
As the sun’s splendor would spangle a world made of dew.

Hidden in this image is also its end,
As peasants’ lives harbor revolt and unthreshed corn sparks with fire.

Hidden in my silence are a thousand abandoned longings:
My words the darkened oil lamp on a stranger’s unspeaking grave.

Ghalib, the road of change is before you always:
The only line stitching this world’s scattered parts.”
(Mirza Ghalib – born Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan, Indian poet, 1797-1869)

This picture was shot in Old Delhi during a traffic jam.
From the window of my car I could see this rickshaw wallah’s face reflecting into the mirror of his auto and I made a connection to a portrait of Ghalib which I had in mind…

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Holy Cow

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“I knew the profanity used up and down my street would not go over the air…
So I trained myself to say ‘Holy Cow’ instead.”
(Harry Caray – American baseball broadcaster, 1914-1998)

This picture was shot along the holy waters of the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
Nandi, the gate keeper of Shiva, is facing the main shrine of a temple where a cow was also standing…

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Shraaddha

“Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.”
(Epicurus – Greek philosopher, BC 341-270)

This picture was shot at Ahilyabai Ghat in Varanasi (Benaras) where an old man invited a Brahman to perform Shraaddha along the holy waters of the Ganges.
Shraaddha (Death Anniversary) is a Sanskrit word which literally means anything or any act that is performed with all sincerity and faith.
In the Hindu religion, it is the ritual that one performs to pay homage to one’s ancestors, especially to one’s dead parents.

“Rites with offerings known as shaddha are periodically held after a person has died to nourish the soul in the afterlife.
The rites are often performed once a year and feature a feast with a plate of food of food offered to the dead.
Hindu believe the living must feed the dead living in the World of the Fathers.
If the ancestors are properly taken care of they will reward the living with prosperity and sons.
The shaddha is thought to day back to the Aryans.
It is viewed as a meeting between the living and the dead.
The souls of the dead who are nor properly buried are thought live outside the World of Fathers as ghosts that torment their relatives until they are there. custom”
(“World Religions” edited by Geoffrey Parrinder, Facts on File Publications, New York)

Conceptually, it is a way for people to express heartfelt gratitude and thanks towards their parents and ancestors, for having helped them to be what they are and praying for their peace.
It also can be thought of as a “day of remembrance”.
It is performed for both the father and mother separately, on the days they became deceased.
It performed on the death anniversary or collectively during the Pitru Paksha or Shraaddha paksha (Fortnight of ancestors), right before Sharad Navaratri in autumn.
View On Black

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Singing Colours

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“I have always wanted my colours to sing.”
(Paul Delvaux – Belgian painter, 1897–1994)

There is magic along the Ganges on the ghats of Varanasi (Benaras), sometimes those who want to give a touch of poetry will take the stairs as the staves of music paper and will see people as vibrant notes…and the colours will sing…

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The Fisherman with a Net

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“You are the River, All-knowing and All-seeing.
I am just a fish-how can I find Your limit?
Wherever I look, You are there.
Outside of You, I would burst and die.
I do not know of the fisherman, and I do not know of the net.
But when the pain comes, then I call upon You.
You are present everywhere.
I had thought that You were far away.
Whatever I do, I do in Your Presence.
You see all my actions, and yet I deny them.
I have not worked for You, or Your Name.
Whatever You give me, that is what I eat.
There is no other door-unto which door should I go?
Nanak offers this one prayer: this body and soul are totally Yours.
He Himself is near, and He Himself is far away; He Himself is in-between.
He Himself beholds, and He Himself listens.
By His Creative Power, He created the world.
Whatever pleases Him, O Nanak-that Command is acceptable.”
(Shabad by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Siree Raag on Pannaa 25)

This fisherman was cleaning a net at Prabhu ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).

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Between Destruction and Creation

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“Without an understanding of myth or religion, without an understanding of the relationship between destruction and creation, death and rebirth, the individual suffers the mysteries of life as meaningless mayhem alone.”
(Marion Woodman – Canadian author, b.1928)

Manikarnika Kund is a sacred pond located next to Manikarnika Ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
Each year in November it is dug out from the dirt which covers it up from the holy river floods of the rainy season.
This large rectangular structure, with surrounding steps is mythologically related to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
The Chakra-Pushkarini Kund or “Discus Lotus-Pond” is said to be so ancient that it was present before King Bhagiratha brought the Ganges to Varanasi and is supposed to have been dug by Lord Vishnu at the time of creation with his disc.
The word “Manikarnika” refers “Jeweled Earring” and this name was given because Lord Shiva’s earring fell into the well when it was a very large lake.
This historic place symbolizes creation, and the cremation ghat next to it is all about death, the hot ashes of the burnt bodies nearby makes one remember the inevitable destruction of everything in the world.
Many pilgrims take a bath here after performing the rituals of cremation. It is also said to be lucky for couples to take a bath together in this well.

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Her Own Light Shining

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“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most.
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us.
And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
(From “A Return to Love” by Maryanne Williamson – American spiritual activist & author, b.1952)

This lady was standing at the door of her house nearby Alamgir Mosque, she was waiting for the milkman.
She was wondering why I wanted to take a few pictures of her, thinking she was old and not interesting.
I told her that her beauty was shining, she was graceful…
She was smiling with modesty and her gift was to allow me to see her “own light shine”…

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“Notre plus grande peur n’est pas d’être insuffisants.
Notre plus grande peur est d’être capable au-delà de toute mesure.
C’est notre lumière et non notre obscurité qui nous effraye le plus.
Nous nous posons la question: «qui suis-je pour oser me penser comme quelqu’un de brillant, grandiose, plein de talents fabuleux ?»
Mais en fait, qui êtes-vous pour ne pas oser l’être ?
Vous êtes un enfant de Dieu. Jouer petit ne sert pas le Monde.
Il n’y a rien de transformé à se faire tout petit de manière à ce que les autres ne se sentent pas mal à l’aise autour de vous. Nous sommes nés pour rendre manifeste la gloire de Dieu qui est en nous.
Et elle ne se trouve pas seulement chez certains d’entre nous ; elle est en chacun de nous.
Et en laissant briller notre propre lumière, nous donnons inconsciemment aux autres la permission de faire de même.
Au fur et à mesure que nous sommes libérés de notre peur, notre présence automatiquement libère les autres.”
(Extrait de “Le Retour de l’Amour” de Marianne Williamson – écrivain américain, née en 1952)

Cette femme se tenait à la porte de sa maison près d ela mosquée d’Alamgir à Benares (Varanasi), elle attendait le laitier.
Elle se demandait pourquoi je voulais prendre quelques photos d’elle, pensant qu’elle était vieille et peu intéressante.
Je lui ai répondu que sa beauté rayonnait, qu’elle était gracieuse…
Elle a souri avec retenue et son cadeau était de me permettre de voir “briller sa propre lumière”…

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