Holy men of the Indian subcontinent

Saddhus are wandering ascetics; holy men (and sometimes women) who give up their 'normal' lives to follow the gods Shiva or Vishnu. These holy men renounce the normal routine of daily life and often dress up in multi hued clothes, donning dreadlocks (jatta) and wearing Shiva parafernalia like a trident, or painting three stripes (representing the trident) on their foreheads. Saddhus are expected to perform tapas (penance in the form of austerities), like visiting the holiest Hindu shrines on foot, or sitting cross legged for years on end.Most of the Saddhus in this gallery are 'residents' of Pashupati Nath near Kathmandu in Nepal. One of the most famous of Saddhus in Pashupati Nath is Swami Paramhansa Ram Krishna Das, better know as the'Milk Baba'. The Milk Baba got his name because he survived on two liters of milk a day for 25 years.

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The Bel Fruit wedding

Many Newars (an ethnic group in the Kathmandu Valley) observe the ritual of giving their young daughters in wedding to a Bel Fruit tree (also known as Bengali Quince). Since for most Hindus and Buddhists the first marriage is the real stuff, any subsequent marriages of the girls are of lesser importance. This, of course, means that the girls are already married when they finally find a husband. At the Bel Fruit wedding, the girl receives some Areca nuts, which she keeps. When, later in life, she wishes to divorce her husband, all she has to do is to give him the Areca nuts, to remind him that their marriage is of secondary importance. After this, the divorce is a fact and she is free to do what she wants. When her husband dies before her, she lays the nuts next to his body, thus in effect terminating the marriage.

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Backstreet Flowers

I like to explore the back alleys of the cities I visit around the world. Normally you won't find any tourists there and the people who live in these streets just get on with their daily lives. One thing always amazes me: even in the darkest, dirtiest, garbage-filled places the cutest kids seem to pop out of the walls, complete with big smiles and runny noses. They are the true backstreet flowers and this special gallery is for them!

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Indian Glasses

We take it for granted that - when we need a pair of glasses - we can visit a shop and buy the newest Italian designs in a matter of minutes. For some people this is a little trickier, as their budget won't allow even the cheapest glasses. They make do with just one pair - often obtained from charity - which is repaired over and over again. This gallery is an ode to the bespectacled people of Hind, as all of these pictures were taken in India.

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The Forgotten

On the banks of the holy Bagmati river, a stone's throw from the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, lies the Siddhi Shaligram Briddhashram, or the Home For The Elderly. The home - almost part of the famous 6th century B.C. temple of Pashupati Nath - was founded by Mother Theresa's Missionaries Of Charity and provides shelter for destitute Nepali elders - those without a family to take care of them or those whose families cannot take care of them.The home relies heavily on donations which are used to feed, clothe and shelter the seniors and to run a basic medical facility. So, if you find yourself in Kathmandu, please make sure to visit Pashupati Nath and the Home For The Elderly, which is on the right-hand side just before the entrance to the temple. Need I mention that donations are greatly appreciated?

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