This is the blog of journalist, Lonely Planet author and photographer Stuart Butler. It features news and travel updates from the regions in which Stuart works, including northeast Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan), Yemen and Sri Lanka.


Friday, 15 March 2013

Maha Kumbh Mela Allahabad 2013

GodsHoly men IMG_9876Coomunal Bathing February 10th 2013Act of DevotionProcession of the Naga 3Away from the Crowds 5
Bathing Pilgrim 2Sleeping under the starsBoat manSari womenSadhuMusical Procession
200 year old GuruTurbaned pilgrimProcession of the NagaCardboard templesChest of Naga SadhuPilgrim
Dawn ProcessionAway from the Crowds 3Toilet BlockSadhu IM_9792Bridges to HeavenProcession of the Naga 2
In early February 2013 I travelled to India for the Maha Kumbh Mela festival. Wow, what an experience that was! Doubt I'll ever see something like that again! It is probably the only thing I have ever done that I can honestly say is completely impossible for someone who wasn't there to comprehend.

I was there to photograph and write about the event for the BBC and Lonely Planet. The following is taken from my first blog post for BBC Travel and gives the general background to this most extraordinary of events.

The original can be seen here: http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20130116-india-hosts-the-worlds-biggest-gathering

The following is a link to my Flickr site where the final edit of my favourite images from the festival can be found. http://www.flickr.com/photos/25936994@N00/sets/72157632958837870/

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3 comments:

  1. kalahari5 April 2013 at 10:43

    great series of pictures, would have loved to attend myself, but i had a tiome problem, cause i´m no sadhu yet,....... haha

    ReplyDelete
  2. stuart butler5 April 2013 at 13:08

    There's another (smaller) one in a couple of years time so you can try again then. And no excuses about being pushed for time - my wife gave birth just 2 days after I got home from this one!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dimpy Roy12 January 2015 at 01:06

    Lovely pics. I loved it. You can directly take flights from Delhi for Allahabad in the moth of Kumbh Mela. Check out direct Delhi to Allahabad flights.

    ReplyDelete

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