For all photographers shooting here in Haridwar things have taken a turn for the worse.
Due to circumstances way out of my control, that I’m not going to go into here, shooting the mela as I had planned has now become difficult, not impossible just difficult.
But I like a challenge !! I believe its good for creativity, it makes you think more, makes you search harder and explore new avenues. So that’s what I’m doing. Looking further, deeper and for longer.
Here’s a few shots that I took this morning from a flag raising ceremony, where the sadhus (the living Hindu saints) are welcomed into mela.
TOm
Wonderful colours Powerful images. thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comments Marco
Hi Tom, nice images. Thanks for posting them.
So, what has been your experience in regard to the photography ban. Any new developments?
Tim,
Nothing concrete. Which is half the problem, if I knew what the rules (laws ???) where then there would be no worries, but no one seems sure least of all the police.
So…..who knows….. I’m just going to play it carefully and shoot respectfully, time will tell if that works.
Sounds like a good plan, Tom. Good luck mate. Hope all goes well for you.
These are fantastic. Such amazing textures!
Erin thanks for the comments, hopefully I’ll have some more coming your way soon.
“Living Hindu Saints”? Perhaps you’ve taken Indian English too literally. They are, in Western parlance, akin to monks, not Saints. There are million upon millions of Sadhus, and to think that to Indians they are considered Saints would be absurd. Learn your subject better.
Boo,
I’m very sorry if you don’t like the phrase “Living Hindu Saints” but I’m hardly the first person to use it, infact a Google search on that exact phrase produces several hundred results.
Thanks for the comment though.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by TomBourdon: New blog post: ‘Kumbh mela 2010 – a first look’ http://bit.ly/a8V9tJ Let me know what you think…
If this is what you get when things are hard I”m looking forward to one of your easy shoots.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tim Humble, Tim Humble, sabrinahenry, Jere Judd, marcoryan and others. marcoryan said: RT @tombourdon: New blog post: 'Kumbh mela 2010 – a first look' http://bit.ly/a8V9tJ Let me know what you think – Great Images [...]
Yes Tom, but as I mentioned, that’s Indian English, and doesn’t have the same meaning when you use that phrase to Westerners. They’re using it in the sense that we might say monk. A monk and a Saint are entirely different. Your Western audience is likely to get the impression that Indians are foolish enough to consider just about anyone a Saint.
Ciao Tom,
in march I’ll be to Kumbh Mela for my third time. I’ve never found any problems for shooting, bur reading your posts it seems somethings different this year!!! I’m trying to book the shooting towers for the sacred bains… Any suggestions???
My best!!!
Sorry Im not sure.
Check out Lightstalkers there’s a thread with a couple of phone number for people to check things like this
http://www.lightstalkers.org/posts/kumbh-mela