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    Fate of the Gods - For the sake of efficiency (with constant traffic of life-sized deities arriving at the ghat throughout the day), the deities are fished out of the water feet from where they were dumped. A microcosmic ritual mirroring the Hindu belief in reincarnation, the gods are added to the divine pile of cloth and clay, waiting, as they must, another 51 weeks to be reborn for next year's Durga Puja. by: fahyje Views[827] Baptism - After the deities have been on display in elaborate and colourful dress around the city for the festival week, they are brought back to the Ganges. For this whole day, there are several popular ghats along the river bank where truckloads of locals arrive amid the throng of bhajans and the ecstasy of celebration. Colourful powder is thrown in the air, as people sing and dance in the street. Once the deities are offloaded, the men bring them down to the water. A microcosm of the Hindu idea of reincarnation, once the festival is over, the deities are unceremoniously and dumped in the Ganges, from whence they came. by: fahyje Views[889] The Face of God - While most of the artists in the area are working on larger than life sized deities, there are some who work on smaller scales. Again, each piece is treated with the reverence and care that you would expect of a proud parent. Everything is done by hand. by: fahyje Views[868] In God's Image - Layers of this clay are added to wooden frames, built to support several deities in standard poses, normally representing popular episodes from the epics. The attention to detail required of these artists means that this is tedious work and though the festival itself lasts only a week, the work goes on throughout the year. by: fahyje Views[813] Grapes of Wrath - Kumortuli is an old quarter of Kolkata where families of artists have been working for generations, producing the most beautiful clay deities for the festival of Durga Puja. These deities are born of the Ganges and will be returned to the Ganges. The process begins by gathering clay from the banks of the river, and stomping it into a workable consistency, usually throughout the sweltering summer months. by: fahyje Views[776]
     

    Photos: My scholarship entry - Samsara

    Tuesday, 18 Nov 2014 | Photo Gallery | Scholarship Entry

    I am a PhD student in Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge. Having recently returned from 15 months fieldwork in rural India, I am now writing up my dissertation, which focuses on the intersection of religion, culture and ethics in a particular ... Read more >
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    Tags: 2014 travel photography scholarship

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