"Ashirvad from Sanskrit means blessing. Sadhu is regarded as a holy man, lord Siva (first and immortal yogi) is always with him. The power of his blessing is legendary and many people wish for miracles to come". Taken in Kumbh Mela, India by pablodiablo
Etoshi, dried up lake, Namibia. Due to global warming, Etosha lake is being completly dried up. Large eco-system is dependent on that lake. Picture by Igor Bilic
Sagrada Família: The Famous Catalan church in Barcelona, Spain, designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Taken by socceraholic
Bruges Canal with ice on top, so no tourist boats. Taken in Belfont Hallen, Bruges by tedesco57
"Many devotees pray here during the week before the procession.
A trusted relative pierces tens (or hundreds?) of spikes into the devotee's body. Or a large skewer trough his mouth.
Nobody cringes. Nobody bleeds! I mean I didn't see anybody feeling pain at Thaipusam in Kuala Lumpur.
The prayers done, friends and relatives start loading the kavadi frames onto the shoulders of devotees. They will go up the steps deep into the Batu caves, where the skewers and hooks will be taken out as the final part of the prayer ....
Thaipusam preparations are never quiet affairs. In the background, musicians pound drums and blow bugles.
This music gets the devotees into the right frame of mind, I am told."
Taken by Igor
"Dozos hunters in Seguelon, Côte d'Ivoire on Feb. 5th 2012, during a gathering of Dozos from Côte d'Ivoire and some other neighbouring countries.
The gathering aimed both at celebrating their traditions and culture and is also an attempt to give this secular brotherhood a formal status into the new state of Côte d'Ivoire.
The Dozos identity and traditions in Côte d'Ivoire have been hampered as some of them have been involved into illicit activities or are said to be responsible for some war crimes, during the 2011 events." Taken by Alexandre Foulon
