View allAll Photos Tagged devotion
Charlie gives me this look......and I'll give him whatever he wants.
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You've heard about the power of prayer. But I'll venture that if we measure the power of prayer by the number of people praying all at once, in one place, and for the same cause, then the Muslims win hands down. It's estimated that over 100K people are gathered here for the annual Eid prayer in central Bangladesh to celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan. On top of the density of people from the air, the tapestry of colorful outfits and prayer mats adds another dimension to the surreal scene.
This young man was praying with devotion facing the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the holiest city in Sikhism which is located in the state of Punjab in India.
The reflection of the sun in the holy tank was providing an amazing contrast with vivid colours between the background and the turban.
Turbans come in every color and pattern but there are three colors most commonly worn: white, deep blue, and saffron orange.
White turbans are worn to extend the aura and the person’s projection.
Royal blue or navy blue turbans are common among Sikh ministers and gyanis, especially in India.
The blue is the color of the warrior and of protection.
Saffron orange is the third Sikh color and is commonly worn by Sikhs worldwide.
Orange represents wisdom.
Black turbans can represent surrender of the ego.
Other colors of turbans don’t have a significance associated with them.
Sometimes it’s just a case of fashion, of matching a turban to a business suit, for example.
While a huge crowd assembles for evening Aarti ( prayers for Ganges ) on the famed ghats of Varanasi, which are run by organizations who compete to out do each others crowd pulling capability, I came across this little guy who performed Aarti of his own - his audience was just one - ME. Little did he care if anyone watched him perform, he just did his duty all by himself, with absolute sincerity. And the best part was, he wasn't distracted by my presence for a second, now that's called devotion.
I could connect the dots between his sincerity to his prayers and mine towards photography. We don't really need a big audience or fame or a standing ovation to keep the flame burning within ourself, all we need is to love what we do and do it with absolute dedication, regardless of any other benefits, that's what is truly satisfying and that's what my journey in photography so far has been about.
Varanasi | India | 2016
Fujifilm X-Pro2 | 23mm
#IncredibleIndia #Travel #Varanasi
Down in Cambridge at the weekend and couldn't resist giving this tree a go. Whilst Cambridge is a great place to visit, it's not the easiest place to photograph. A combination of restricted access and tourists meant an early morning wander and hoping the light would get high enough to give me something to go at.
At the break of dawn, wrapped in tradition and devotion, she stands knee-deep in sacred waters. With folded hands and heartfelt prayers, she offers her soul to the rising Sun. Amidst the mist and silence, the spirit of Chhath Puja glows — serene, strong, and timeless
Friday congregational prayers (Jumu'ah) at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka. This is the largest mosque in Bangladesh. It has 8 levels and can accomodate more than 40,000 worshippers. The mosque's design is inspired by the Kaaba in Mecca, featuring a large cube-shaped structure that distinguishes it from other mosques in the region. Friday is to Muslims as Sunday is to Christians. In Bangladesh as in many Muslim countries, the weekend days are Friday-Saturday, and Sunday marks the first day of the workweek.
Hemis Monastery is revered as the largest monastic institution in Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir in north India. The monastery has more than 200 branches with more than 1,000 monks in the Himalayan region. Situated in the foothills of Indus at a distance of 45 km from Leh, the monastery has access to motorable roads. Travelling to Hemis monastery itself is a thrilling experience and the surroundings make the journey a memorable one.
The population of Ladakh is predominantly Buddhist and Ladakh has been deeply influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, which follows the Mahayana and Vajrayana schools. In these forms of Buddhism, Buddha is worshipped a deity who has attained Nirvana (freedom from the cycle of birth and death). Various incarnations of Buddha, known as Bodhisattvas, are also worshipped in monasteries.
Portrait of a Buddhist faithful (Nepal).
NFTs: linktr.ee/roberto_pazzi
One year ago, in the early hours of the morning, Ukraine saw the end of a peaceful existence, and threat to end their existence as a sovereign nation entirely. Lone border guards were among the first casualties, as the tanks rolled in and the missiles were launched in what Putin had wagered to be a three-day conquest. I am so glad that Russia had quietly become a kleptocracy, and their delusions of success could not be realized against the impassioned and skilled Ukrainian people.
As I sit here contemplating the past year, I am reminded of the kindness of friends, family, and strangers alike who helped our early efforts to support the influx if refugees here in Bulgaria. And I thank those who continue to support our efforts in sending aid to Ukraine. My thankfulness extended to many of the world’s governments, who are stepping up send tanks and long-range weapons to Ukraine. Without this help, Russia would have quickly expanded it’s borders and would not have stopped.
With the bravery of the Ukrainian people, and also the International Legion of foreign soldiers, and all the humanitarian aid workers within the country, Ukraine is on a path to recovery everything. The vast majority of the population say that there should be no territory lost, and I agree. The world is at war with Russia via Ukraine, and Russia will lose.
A few days ago, Putin made a long-winded speech. A few days before that, Russia failed in test-launching a RS-28 Sarmat ICBM. I believe Putin had intended to highlight a successful launch in his speech. Instead, his words echoed the frustration of failures in the military in Ukraine. Those failures continue, with the most modest territorial gains costing many thousands of lives and countless military assets.
As Russia runs short of military resources, Iran and now China are allegedly providing aid. I wouldn’t be surprised if North Korea is doing the same. Allegiances are being made across the world, and Russian natural resources are no longer required by Europe. Just today, the US, Australia and New Zealand announced new sanctions against Russia. The world continues to isolate the once-powerful tyrant who now must rely on the few strong allies it has – all of them non-democratic despotic nations.
I am confident that Ukraine will never give up this fight, and it will end with the destabilization of the Russian Federation. Poland is willing to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, and the first Leopard 2 tanks have arrived on Ukrainian soil. Ukraine will win, that much is a certainty. There’s still a lot of unknowns, however. How long and how many lives will it take? What happens when Russia loses? Remember that China and Russia share a very large border… in a destabilized Russia, would a country like China simply respect all previous international borders? The world is at the largest potential turning point in my generation.
And maybe the world needs a turning point for the better - with the climate crisis and geopolitics, a whole and sovereign Ukraine is the keystone of the next phase of international cooperation. It’s proof that much of the world can come together for a common goal. Beyond borders, continents, language and religion, the world can become aligned with democracy. That’s a scary thought for the despots of the world, and as it should be.
This image is taken with a snowdrop flower, turned upside down (as the flower usually droops downward – in this image it’s facing up). This isn’t a water droplet, but rather a gel-based “water pearl” that absorbs water and maintains a spherical shape. Like a mini crystal ball, it refracts what is behind it – and also stays spherical at much larger sizes than a water droplet. I made a print of the Ukrainian Coat of Arms to place in behind. I dedicate this image to the Public Domain – use it for any purpose you wish, no constraints or obligations.
Слава україні. The only way to peace is through victory. Victory will only be possible because of the heroes fighting for it. Героям слава! May this year of fighting and sacrifice be seen by the world as a beacon of hope.