I didn’t plan this shot. I was sitting there, on a boat in the holy river Ganga with thousands of people, lost in the chants and the rhythm of the Aarti, when the priest moved forward with the lamp.
For a second, everything else faded; the sounds, the crowd, even time itself. The Priests moved in a synchronous fluid rhythm with the flames of these huge lamps, their hands steady, their gaze lost in prayer.
The light felt ancient, like it had been burning for centuries. The man and the fire looked like a single inseparable entity.
That’s what I tried to capture here.
The Ganga Aarti is performed by seven priests & follows a sequence meant to evoke a divine ambiance, with each movement symbolizing a gesture of gratitude to the Ganges – The Sacred River.
1. Blowing the Conch Shell (Shankh): Marks the start. Believed to remove negativity and welcome positivity.
2. Waving Incense (Agarbatti): Purify the surroundings and are believed to attract positive energy.
3. Circling Brass Lamps (Deepak): Large, multi-tiered lamps with several diya flames represent light and purity.
4. Chanting Sacred Hymns (Mantra): The sounds of Vedic mantras fill the air, creating a spiritually charged atmosphere.
5. Offering Flowers (Pushpanjali): Fresh flower offerings symbolize love and reverence toward the Ganges.
Location Coordinates: 25.306204866450148, 83.01045416313605
Artist: Kuntal Singhvi (https://twitter.com/kuntal_singhvi)
I click photographs to share what I see, to preserve the moments that won't happen again & to get a chance to relive them once again.
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