Travel Photography: Festivals, cremations, Sadhus and animal sacrifice plus updates on our Photo Workshop Tours in 2012.
The story behind the Photos… Water and a full moon festival,
cremations, Sadhus and animal sacrifice in Nepal.
After Sri Lanka and Bhutan I just finished my editing from my last trip in April 2012 to Nepal; I fell a bit behind with this one due to other urgent matters, but now the latest photos from this destination are in my PhotoShelter archives and galleries.
These are only few images on today’s post, all other photos you can view at my PhotoShelter site. I might also mention the Photos have been processed and edited using Aperture 3.3 using only the basic RAW conversion and adjustments with no other manipulation.
My recent visit to Kathmandu coincided with the full moon festival at the Boudhanath Stupa, the Balaju mela Hindu bathing festival and at Pashupati a lot of cremation took place at this time. Not to mention a visit to the “bizarre” and strange animal sacrifice rituals held twice a week at Dakshinkall Bungamati, Khokana.
There is never any shortage of things to shoot in this part of the world, when it comes to color and subjects. Sometimes it can be quiet difficult to decide and isolate your subjects, be it for a story or just for this one great image, there is always so much happen all around you and a lot of patience is required.
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Lets start at Pashupati the local cremation area, a place I have visited many times before, there was a lot going on this time with scores of monkeys roaming around amongst the many cremations on this particular day.
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Cremations at Pashupati, Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
A Sadhus Mirror, Pashupati
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
A body is prepared for Cremations at Pashupati,
Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Sacrifice at Pashupati temple, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Then there was the Balaju mela Hindu bating festival were thousands of people worship all day long, passing along the water spouts offering rice, flowers and other items, creating an almost carnival atmosphere, yet another colorful spectacle.
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
The long line at the water spouts, Balaju mela
Hindu bathing festival, Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Balaju mela Hindu bathing festival,
Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Balaju mela Hindu bathing festival,
Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Balaju mela Hindu bathing festival,
Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Balaju mela Hindu bathing festival,
Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Balaju mela Hindu bathing festival,
Kathmandu, Nepal
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At the full moon festival at the Buddanah stupa; the area also know as “Little Tibet”, here hundreds of Buddhist Monks from surrounding Monasteries gathered that day, a beautiful atmosphere and by nightfall the whole area was lit by butter lamps and candles.
Challenging photography but yet so very rewarding, especially when I got permission to get very close to the main prayer area at the base of the Buddanah Stupa with all the Buddhist Monks.
Later I wondered around through the ally's; vendors selling candles and other offerings and exploring in low light the base of the Stupa where the Butter Lamps been blessed and kept alight. A wonderful experience, a great evening with the pleasant smell of incense all around.
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Buddhist Monks at dusk, beginning of the full moon festival at the Buddanah stupa,
the area is also know as "Little Tibet" Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Spinning the Prayer wheel just outside the Monastery
opposite the Buddanah stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
During the full moon festival
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
During the full moon festival, Butter Lamps and candle light at the
base of the Buddanah stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
In the ally's during the full moon festival, near the
Buddanah stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Preparing the candles, Kathmandu, Nepal
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A more bizarre and not for the faint hearted, a strange ritual (not strange for the locals mind you) is been held twice a week about 2 hours drive from Kathmandu (all depends on traffic on this winding road) at Dakshinkall Bungamati, Khokana the animal sacrifice temple which is truly a “bloody” event.
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
A chicken waiting for it's "turn" Dakshinkall Bungamati, Khokana
the animal sacrifice temple, Nepal 
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
A Goat is sacrificed at Dakshinkall Bungamati,
Khokana the animal sacrifice temple, Nepal 
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Worship at Dakshinkall Bungamati,
Khokana the animal sacrifice temple, Nepal 
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
After the worship and sacrifice a goat is prepared
in boiling water at Dakshinkall Bungamati, Khokana
the animal sacrifice temple, Nepal
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All this happens during our last Photo Workshop: we arrived from Sri Lanka with a stop over in Nepal on the way to Bhutan. Then on the way back I did spend a few extra days in Kathmandu to intercept all those festivals, these extra few days were well spend and rewarding.
Of course I might as well mention all those other interesting places like: Bhaktapur (love this place) or the daily life in and around Hanuman-dhoka Durbar Square, the traditional villages of Bugmati/Khokana Lolitpur or for just a warm-up on your first day you could stroll around the Thamel area with it's bustling street live, shops and restaurants.
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Colored powder used for rituals at Dakshinkall Bungamati,
Khokanathe animal sacrifice temple, Nepal
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Our next trip to Nepal and this one will be very special in 2013, is an Expedition and Adventure trip in late March - mid April 2013, you have to reserve this one early as we take only 8 participants on this tour.
Note: This is NOT our normal workshop...this will be an Expedition into some very remote and seldom visited parts of Nepal, traveling on horseback and camping, this is by invitation or upon request only. The final itinerary will be available by 3rd quarter 2012.
For more details please contact Gunther Deichmann
See below also some of our other upcoming Expedition Adventure Photo Work Shop Tours in 2012 and you don’t have to be a pro to be part of this, we except all levels of experience.
LAOS - VIETNAM - CAMBODIA – Myanmar 2012 starting on September 8th. You can choose either one of these tours or combine them, for more info and the complete Itinerary please contact me.
Or check our GD Photo Workshop calendar for 2012
Note: Please make your reservations early for Myanmar; due to the recent positive changes in the Country we have to make Hotel bookings way in advance.
Tour starts on October 05 - October 16, 2012 - 11 special days of pure adventure and amazing photography. Max. of 10 Participants on all Tours unless stated otherwise.
Please do not hesitate in contacting me if you have any special request or queries.
On this special journey through Myanmar we will explore the remote parts of the country but also some of the known places. We promise that this will be a very special trip.
This photographic tour of Myanmar takes guests from the captivating capital of Yangon where the sparkling Shwedagon Pagoda glistens at sunset. From Yangon guests take a short flight to Bagan where it's difficult to ever put your camera down.
Countless temples and pagodas are scattered across its desert like plains. Crumbling architecture adds to the inherent beauty of the place.
Visit Tayokye Pyay, an elevated temple with sweeping panoramic views of the plains below. Then Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with exquisite jataka mural paintings and the elegant Ananda Temple, one of the most impressive masterpieces.
We also head to Myinkabar and Old Bagan to discover lesser-visited sites with unusual stone inscriptions. Enjoy an unforgettable sunset from the terrace of a temple.
For Testimonials from previous participants, please Click this LINK.
Details and bookings/reservations, please Click this LINK
GD
