India contains incredible religious diversity and fervor. A predominantly Hindu country, one can often find many people performing puja, prayers, and offerings. But if you look closer, you’ll find Buddhists meditating beneath the Bodhi Tree at the birthplace of Buddhism, Seikhs making long pilgrimages to a Golden Temple, and Jains seeking liberation through a life of harmlessness. I hope this short “photo essay” will give you even a glimpse into the facets of religion I saw in my travels to India.

 

Ganga Aarti

Ganga Aarti – Fire and flowers float out into the river Ganges as a man undertakes the ritual of Ganga Aarti in Varanasi, India.

Color for Ganesh

Color for Ganesh – Ganesh is honored at a small festival gathering in Haridwar, India

Offering to the Ganga

Offering to the Ganga – Women prepare and toss offerings into the river Ganges

Chaos at Manikarnika Ghat

Chaos at Manikarnika Ghat – The people of Varanasi clamor to the river Ganges to wash and perform daily puja rituals.

Prayer at the Ghats

Prayer at the Ghats – A woman crouches in prayer at a ghat in Varanasi, India.

Sadhu Hideout

Sadhu Hideout – Making my way through the back alleys of Kolkata I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with these sadhus (holy men) in-training.

Jain Monk

Jain Monk – This Jain monk was eager to explain the uniquities of his religion to me in a temple within the living fort of Jaisalmer.

Pause Pilgrim

Pause Pilgrim – Countless Seikh pilgrims travel to the Golden Temple of Amritsar every day – only a few of them take pause to reflect on their journey.

Monk in the Stupas

Monk in the Stupas – A lone Buddhist monk sits in meditation among the stupas at the Mahabodhi temple.

Meditation

Meditation – The area outside of the Mahabodhi Temple is tumultuous and jarring, much like any other street scene in India. But as I crossed into the temple complex I could immediately feel a change. The cacophony was replaced by voices chanting rhythmic mantras set against the steady wind rustling the leaves of the Bodhi Tree – the very place that Siddhartha Guatama reached enlightenment and became the Buddha.

At Peace

At Peace – A buddhist monk swathed in crimson meditates in front of an enormous fig tree swathed in prayer flags in Bodhgaya, India