from my eyes

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

India | Saturday, October 16, 2010 | 5 photos

these photos were taken in India next to the Ganga river. a river who is the soul and mother for most of India's population. the river attracts pilgrims from all around the country because of the importance of it in the Indian mythology and there for many temples and rituals around it. the photos shows the magic and beauty that surround the banks of the river. the rituals, pilgrims daily life and the contrasts on the way they deal with the river.
the 'Puja' ritual where thousands goes down to the river to offer gifts to the river and ask for health and peace for their loved ones.
The pilgrims lives who travel long distances just to get to see the river and participate once in their life time in a ritual on the Ganga's banks. most travels with a small bag who contains cloths, some money and a blanket. many are willing to sleep on the river bank. the contrast comes to show in the way that Indian people treats their holy river. in one hand its sacred and you have to refer it as a god and on the other hand we can see the filth around and in it which looks like lack of respect.
the funeral ceremony who takes the believers body and makes it 'one' with the river but pollute and hurt the river with tones of leftovers from the same ceremony. a child who collect coins using a magnet from the river floor while at the same time
the believers who throw these coins in their rituals stands on the other bank watching their coins being pulled out...

I want to use this scholarship to gain experience and from that experience to show people the world from my eyes and make art out of it. I love the idea of being a traveling photographer. From my experience the longer you stay in a place and get to know it and the locales you'll get much more in your experiences and in your photos..