• Hindus worship the sun god as night falls during Chhath Puja

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    An Indian Hindu devotee prostrates himself as his wife and children walk behind him as part of rituals at sunset near the holy Yamuna River during the Chhath Puja festival in New Delhi, India, on Nov. 19.

    Vivek Prakash / Reuters

    Hindu devotees pray while standing in the waters of the Arabian Sea as they worship the sun god during the Hindu religious festival "Chhath Puja" in Mumbai, on Nov. 19. Hindu devotees worship the sun god and fast all day for the betterment of their family and society during the festival.

    Aftab Alam Siddiqui / AP

    Hindu devotees take part in worship on the banks of the River Ganges river during Chhath festival, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the sun god for sustaining life on earth, in Patna, India, on Nov. 19.

    Hindu devotees worship the Sun god during the Hindu religious festival "Chhat Puja" at sunset on Monday. Hindu devotees worship the Sun god and fast all day for the betterment of their family and society during the festival.

    -- Reuters

     

    Jaipal Singh / EPA

    An Indian devotee lights earthen lamps as she performs rituals in front of the setting sun at the sacred Tawi river during the Chhath festival in Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir, India, on Nov. 19.

    Sanjay Kanojia / AFP - Getty Images

    Hindu devotees perform religious rituals as they offer prayers to the sun god at Sangam during Chhath festival in Allahabad on Nov. 19. Devotees pay obeisance to both the rising and the setting sun in the Chhath festival when people express their thanks and seek the blessings of the forces of nature, mainly the sun and river.

    Tsering Topgyal / AP

    Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers to the sun god on the occasion of Chhath Puja festival at Yamuna river in New Delhi, India, on Nov. 19. On Chhath, an ancient Hindu festival, rituals are performed to thank the sun god for sustaining life on earth. The banner reads as "Warning, deep water ahead".

    Vivek Prakash / Reuters

    A Hindu devotee holds a firework in his hand as he worships the sun god during the Hindu religious festival "Chhath Puja" in Mumbai, on Nov. 19.

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  • With a flash and a bang, Hindus celebrate festival of lights

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    An Indian family lights firecrackers during the festival of Diwali in New Delhi, India, on Nov. 13, 2012.

    Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the biggest Hindu festivals. People decorate their homes with flowers and Diyas (earthen lamps), celebrate the homecoming of the God Ram after vanquishing the demon king Ravana and honour the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.
    --Agence France-Presse

    Sushanta Das / AP

    An Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldier lights a candle inside a bunker as part of Diwali celebrations at the India-Bangladesh border on the outskirts of Agartala, India, on Nov. 13.

    Asif Hassan / AFP - Getty Images

    Pakistani Hindu revelers wave sparklers during Diwali in Karachi on Nov. 13.

    Shakil Adil / AP

    A Pakistani Hindu girl holds an earthen lamp while decorating an area of her house to celebrate Diwali on Nov. 13 in Karachi, Pakistan.

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    An Indian man stands on his bicycle rickshaw after placing candles on it for good luck and fortune during the festival of Diwali in New Delhi, India, on Nov. 13.

    Biswaranjan Rout / AP

    Widows gather around a tulsi plant and light oil lamps to celebrate Diwali at a rest house run by a devotee in Bhubaneswar, India, on Nov. 13.

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  • Hand grenades and prayers in India during the Dussehra festival

    Amit Dave / Reuters

    A police officer holds a hand grenade as he offers prayers in front of weapons, as part of a ritual for the Dussehra festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad Oct. 24. Dussehra is the Hindu festival which commemorates the triumph of Lord Rama over Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.

    Police officers offer prayers in front of weapons, as part of a ritual for the Dussehra festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Wednesday. Dussehra is the Hindu festival which commemorates the triumph of Lord Rama over Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.

    --Reported by Reuters

    Amit Dave / Reuters

    A policeman offers prayers in front of weapons as part of a ritual for the Dussehra festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad Oct. 24.

    Ajit Solanki / AP

    A priest chants as paramilitary Home Guards officers perform rituals on weapons at their headquarters on Vijayadashmi, or Dussehra festival, in Ahmadabad, India, Oct. 24.

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  • Narendra Shrestha / EPA

    Alone, the young goddess on her throne

    Nepal's Kumari (living goddess) Samita Bajracharya, aged 10, sits on her traditional religious chair while waiting for devotees at the Buddhist monastery Ratnakar Bihar in Lalitpur, Nepal, on August 3, 2012, before the beginning of a procession held as part of the Gai Jatra (cow festival) which is dedicated to family members who have passed away recently.

    See more of Narendra Shrestha's photos of Samita: Worshipped and then cast aside: the life of a living goddess

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  • Incredible journey: Thousands of Hindus make pilgrimage to Himalayan shrine

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    Pilgrims line up to enter the Amarnath cave, one of the most revered Hindu shrines, on June 29, 2012 in Indian Kashmir.

    Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images

    Hindu pilgrims walk along a mountain path as they make their pilgrimage to the sacred Amarnath Cave on June 30, 2012 near Baltal.

    Photographers Kevin Frayer and Daniel Berehulak joined thousands of pilgrims on a trek to the remote Himalayan shrine of Amarnath, which stands at an altitude of 3,888 meters (12,756 feet).

    Getty Images reports:

    Hindu devotees brave sub-zero temperatures to hike over glaciers and high altitude mountain passes to reach the sacred Amarnath cave, which houses an ice stalagmite, a stylized phallus, worshiped by Hindus as a symbol of the god Shiva.

    More than 700,000 Hindu pilgrims are expected to take part in this year's two-month pilgrimage, according to local officials, putting strains on the environment and political stability of the region, which has long fought for independence from India.

    See pictures of last year's pilgrimage to Amarnath on PhotoBlog

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    A Hindu holy man wearing little clothing walks down a snowy hill during the traditional journey to the Amarnath cave, near Panitarni on June 28, 2012.

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    Pilgrims wearing track suits rest on the journey to the Amarnath cave on June 30, 2012.

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    The camp for Hindu pilgrims is seen at the Amarnath cave, near Sangam on June 29, 2012.

    Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images

    A pilgrim is carried on a palanquin by Kashmiri bearers over a glacier on her way to the sacred Amarnath Cave on June 29, 2012.

    Kevin Frayer / AP

    A Hindu holy man gestures to well-wishers as he is carried down a trail, near Panitarni on June 28, 2012.

    Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images

    A young pilgrim cries as he struggles along the path as he walks with his family during their pilgrimage to the sacred Amarnath Cave on June 28, 2012 near Baltal.

    Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images

    Pilgrims line up for a meal at a Lungar facility providing free food, near Baltal on June 29, 2012.

    Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images

    Pilgrims walk along a mountain trail during their pilgrimage to the sacred Amarnath Cave on June 30, 2012.

     

  • Boy in Nepal hailed as Ganesh, god of good fortune

    Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

    Sambeg Shakya, 6, gets ready to play his role as a living god at the Indra Jatra festival in Kathmandu Sept. 16. Sambeg Shakya was hailed last year by Buddhist priests as Ganesh, or the god of good fortune, since when he has led several processions of Nepal's better-known 'living goddesses', also known as Kumari. The centuries-old ritual, once used by now-toppled kings who thought it would make them stronger, was the climax of the annual Hindu festival of Dasain, which lasts for two weeks and has become a major tourist attraction in Nepal. Sambeg will continue in his supporting role until he is big enough to fit in a chariot pulled by men, after which he must return to real life.

    By Rich Shulman

    It must be confusing for a six year old to be a "god," then a mortal.

    Reuters reports:

    A five-year-old Nepali boy, worshiped by many as a god, sits cross-legged with a stuffed teddy bear in his brick-and-cement home in Kathmandu.

    Sambeg Shakya was hailed last year by Buddhist priests as Ganesh, or the god of good fortune, since when he has led several processions of Nepal's better-known 'living goddesses', also known as Kumari.

    On Wednesday, skinny Sambeg, his eyes rimmed in black kohl and wearing a gold brocade dress, walked at the head of a line of nine tiny girls to another girl believed to be the bodily incarnation of Taleju, the goddess of power.

    The centuries-old ritual, once used by now-toppled kings who thought it would make them stronger, was the climax of the annual Hindu festival of Dasain, which lasts for two weeks and has become a major tourist attraction in Nepal.

    Sambeg will continue in his supporting role until he is big enough to fit in a chariot pulled by men, after which he must return to real life.

    Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

    Sambeg Shakya, 6, is pulled along in a chariot by devotees during the Indra Jatra Festival in Kathmandu Sept. 16.

    Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

    Six year-old Sambeg Shakya's (C) grandmother Purna Rupi Shakya (L) bows down in front of him while his aunt Sumitra Shakya changes his clothes at his home in Kathmandu Sept. 16.

    "I want to become a doctor," Sambeg, his long hair tied in a bun on top with a peacock feather planted on it, told Reuters.

    He is in grade one, the first of ten years in high school.

    His father Bishwo Prakash said his family will help the boy pursue the studies he chooses.

    "He is very bright and good at learning. He does not forget what is told to him once," Prakash said. "I am very happy that my son plays the divine role."

    Prakash said his son likes porridge, biscuits, goat and buffalo meat, but must not eat chicken or eggs.

    The government pays $63 a month to meet Sambeg's living costs, but his family said the money was not enough.

    "The government must increase the allowances to cover the living costs and education of the child who plays a culturally significant role," Prakash said.

    Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

    Sambeg Shakya, 6, waits near his home for his father in Kathmandu Sept. 16.

    Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

    Sambeg Shakya, 6, holds the hand of his father Bishwo Prakash Shakya while on his way to school in Kathmandu Sept. 16.

    Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

    Sambeg Shakya, 6, takes part in school assembly at his school in Kathmandu Sept. 16.

     See an earlier PhotoBlog post from Nepal: Worshipped and then cast aside: the life of a living goddess.

  • Half a million Hindu pilgrims hike to icy cave shrine

    The AP reports that at least half a million Hindu pilgrims are making the pilgrimage to the icy Amarnath cave shrine, which lies 13,500 feet above sea level in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Hindus worship a stalagmite inside the cave as an incarnation of the Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration.

    Altaf Qadri / AP

    Hindu pilgrims make their way to the Amarnath cave shrine over a glacier near Panchtarni, 93 miles from Srinagar, India, on July 27.

    Altaf Qadri / AP

    A Kashmiri Muslim horseman tries to comfort a crying Hindu child before resuming their trek towards the holy Amarnath cave shrine from Sheeshnag on July 27.

    Altaf Qadri / AP

    Hindu pilgrims trek towards the Amarnath cave shrine at Sheeshnag on July 27.

    Altaf Qadri / AP

    Hindu pilgrims are carried on palanquins by Muslim bearers over a glacier near Amarnath cave on July 28.

     

  • Worshipped and then cast aside: the life of a living goddess

    Narendra Shrestha of EPA reports from Nepal: Samita Bajracharya was 9 years old when she became a Kumari Devi - a 'living goddess'. The word Kumari literally means virgin in Nepali. The Living Goddesses are young pre-pubescent girls that are considered to be incarnations of the Hindu Goddess of Power, Kali. They are worshipped in Nepal by both Hindus and Buddhists. Samita was appointed the new Kumari of Patan City last year after her predecessor, Chanira Bajracharya, then aged 16, reached puberty, which means that she is considered ritually unclean.

    Narendra Shrestha / EPA

    Purna Shova Bajracharya, the mother of Kumari Samita Bajracharya, puts make-up on her daughter's face for a festival procession at Kumari Ghar in Patan City, Nepal on April 7.

    Narendra Shrestha / EPA

    The Kumari shares a light moment with her mother.

    After becoming Kumari in October 2010, Samita could no longer go to school, play outside, or touch her friends - all these things are considered to make her ritually impure. St. Xavier's School has given her a computer on which she can play games and draw with the Paint application. Along with the computer, the management committee of St. Xavier's school has offered the young Kumari a free education. Teachers come to Kumari Ghar, the private residence of the living goddess, and give lessons to the young girl for three hours a day. On the weekend, Samita is able to invite friends to play at her house.

    Narendra Shrestha / EPA

    The Kumari wears make-up before attending a festival at Kumari Ghar in Patan City.

    Narendra Shrestha / EPA

    The Kumari is worshipped by devotees during a festival in Patan City on April 19.

    The Kumari is often confined to her home, but there are some days when she is allowed to appear in front of the public. Yet she has to be carried from her from home to the events, never allowing her feet to touch the ground as this is considered unlucky. Devotees take her blessing by offering flowers, money and touching her feet. Everyone from businessmen starting new ventures, students preparing for a big exam, to people just hoping to find strength and improve ailing health visit the Kumari at Kumari Ghar for blessings.

    Narendra Shrestha / EPA

    Offerings placed by devotees at the feet of the Kumari.

    Narendra Shrestha / EPA

    The Kumari plays with a Mickey Mouse stuffed toy. On the weekend, she is able to invite friends to play at her house.

    Samita Bajracharya will remain a Kumari until she menstruates, after which it is believed that the goddess vacates her body and the Guthi must begin the search for the next young girl to become the Kumari.

  • Thousands gather in India for Hindu guru's funeral

    Aijaz Rahi of AP reports from Puttaparti, India: Throngs of tearful devotees gathered Wednesday for the funeral of Sathya Sai Baba, one of India's best-known Hindu ascetics who was revered by millions as a divine incarnation with miraculous healing powers.

    Jagadeesh NV / EPA

    Devotees gather inside the Sri Kulwant Hall in Prasanthi Nilayam to attend the funeral ceremony of Hindu holy man Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparti, India on April 27. Sathya Sai Baba, one of India's most famous spiritual leaders with thousands of followers in the country and abroad, died aged 85 after a prolonged illness on April 24.

    Jagadeesh NV / EPA

    A devotee peeks out a curtain during the funeral ceremony.

    The 84-year-old was buried in an auditorium in his spiritual center in southern India where his body had been lying in state for the last three days. As Sai Baba's nephew performed the last rites, Hindu priests chanting verses from sacred texts instructed him to anoint the body with oil, herbs and flowers.

    Tens of thousands of devotees, many weeping and sobbing quietly, filled the auditorium and the streets outside, where they watched the funeral on a large screen. Continue reading.

    Dibyangshu Sarkar / AFP - Getty Images

    Indian police officials spread the national flag on the transparent casket containing the body of Sathya Sai Baba.

    Rafiq Maqbool / AP

    Devotees wail as they watch the funeral on a big screen outside the Prasanthi Nilayam Ashram.

     

     

  • An 8 year old Mahatma Gandhi and a sacrificial goat

    Noah Seelam / AFP - Getty Images

    Eight-year old Satish, dressed as Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi, begs for alms as Hindu devotees carrying a sacrificial goat walk past during the Peddagattu Jathara festival at Lingamanthula Swamy Temple at Durajpalli in Nalgonda district, some 140 kilometers east of Hyderabad, on Feb. 21. The festival, where devotees worship Hindu god Lord Shiva, is celebrated every two years and has been celebrated for the past 400 years.

     

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