STREET PHOTOGRAPHY FROM MUMBAI AND BEYOND

Kumbh Mela (Sanskrit: Kumbha Mēlā , lit. 'festival of the Sacred Pitcher') is an important Hindu pilgrimage, celebrated approximately every 6 or 12 years, correlated with the partial or full revolution of Jupiter.

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A ritual dip in the waters marks the festival. It is also a celebration of community commerce with numerous fairs, education, religious discourses by saints, mass gatherings of monks, and entertainment. The seekers believe that bathing in these rivers is a means to prāyaścitta (atonement, penance, restorative action) for past mistakes, and that it cleanses them of their sins.

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Over the course of 2 trips (once at the beginning and once at the end of the Kumbh Mela), I witnessed what felt like the essence of humanity and the power of faith. These images are my homage to the countless people who walked many kilometers for the chance to take this once-in-a-lifetime holy dip.