Collections > 2021 Photos > 2021 Readers Photography Competition ( THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE NOT > May 2021
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IMG 20210425 195419 393 A Mayo Whitethorn tree against the evening sun.
IMG 20210415 065705 262 David Hughes catching the sunrise from the back of his house in Mayo Abbey, Co Mayo
47338B06-BDDE-4BF2-8775-1D9FBAA84378 As tall as a lamp Post. (Stretching swans out the lough. )
The Ritual - Shubhodeep Roy The Ritual I came to learn about Gajan Festival during my childhood. I grew up in Kolkata West Bengal. During childhood, I remember seeing men and women dressed as gods and goddesses, practicing some rituals, some fire show, at that time I was so small to understand those things. After I went to college and after developing Photography as a hobby I decided to cover the festival. The traditions and rituals seemed out of this world. It was nothing that I had heard or seen in the past. After some research, I visited the Kalighat area in the city of joy Kolkata to attend the festival. Kalighat's Gajan Festival is one of the oldest and still follows the same rituals that have been around since ancient times. Bengal is known as a land of festivities, where religious ceremonies outnumber the months in the calendar. The festival Gajan is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly in the Indian state of West Bengal. Gajan is celebrated on the last day of Bengali New Year. This is a pre-harvest season festival celebrated in order to please Lord Shiva. It is associated with such deities as Shiva, Neel, and Dharmaraj. Gajan spans around a week, starting at the last week of Choitro continuing till the end of the Bengali year. It ends with Charak Puja. Participants of this festival are known as sannyasi or Bhokto. Persons of any gender can be a participant. The complete history of the festival is not known. The central theme of this festival is deriving satisfaction through non-sexual pain, devotion, and sacrifice. As mentioned earlier, the basic reason for the festival is to worship the deities of the respective devotees for the hope of a better rainy season and good harvest. Also, people believe that the festival will provide them prosperity eliminating any sorrow and suffering which they suffered in the past year. Primarily arranged on the premises of different Shiva Temples, the festival is arranged mainly by mendicants (Persons begging or relying on charitable donations) who are referred to as “Gajan Sanyasisâ€. The festival takes place on open grounds and not in anyone’s residence. Among the many folk festivals of Bengal, the Gajan festival, Charak Puja and Neel Puja have a special place even in today’s modern age. Although it is celebrated predominantly in rural Bengal, the festival is still celebrated in some pockets of the Metro city of Kolkata. Gajan is actually linked to persons who are related to the agricultural community, directly or indirectly. They pray for the rains and better harvest. During Charak people dress up as Cosmetic Shiva, Parvati, Krishna, and other deities. Usually, the Rajbangshi caste of persons is allowed to do such acts. They are locally known as “Soung of Gajan†(Soung in Bengali means jester). The word gajan in Bengali comes from the word garjan or roar generated by sannyasis during the festivities. An alternative theory says it is from the two words Ga (village) and Jan ( People), indicating the festival of the people. Personally, I always have a feeling of amusement and fear when I witness such a festival like this, Acts which include jumping from a high altitude, playing with fire are very dangerous and can be fatal as well. But the faith, of the people who have towards their deity, is unexplainable. The faith and chaos I experienced while shooting this festival in my hometown is a feeling I really can't explain. I am discovering my city Kolkata every day, by these traditions which only takes place here & nowhere else in the world. Picture Credit - Shubhodeep Roy
Karma in the Garden this was taken out in my back garden & its called Karma in the Garden !
cute squirrel1 (1 of 1) Red Squirrel visiting my garden in Leitrim.
inbound319448147279255045 Busy helping plant flowers!
inbound835768828760423952 Bog season again.
basking 7 I headed out to find the Basking Shark's arrival at Keem Bay in Achill, they appeared right under mid day sun, it was a spectacle!
20210514 104516 8 and 10 year old Matthew and Sean Glavin at owenahincha beach ,west cork,June 2018
20210514 104501 9 old year Matthew Glavin at Owenahincha beach ,west cork ,july 2020
20210514 104445 View of long strand owenahincha co cork July 2020
C8A10C69-8B38-414B-B242-AB2FB4FF5DF4 Perfect Symmetry at The Pink Rock , County Kilkenny
DSC07131-Edit-Edit Goodnight Mr Ted
inbound8037101785615584658 Enjoying the rural scenery while on lockdown and only allowed travel locally in Cavan. Angela Reilly
75F08979-CAB8-4BE6-8BF3-B5040EC74EA4 Taken April 2021 by Regina Brady at shore co.Longford
20210513 115911 View of Killarney National Park (13/05/21) through a burnt tree caused by the recent wildfires. Pic: John P Murphy.
inbound864249294463165695 Heron hanging with the wild flowers in Corkagh Park!
F2973683-6A77-47BB-9E84-AC9F5DEA5445 Ted the Dog taking Conor O’Regan for a walk, @River Blackwater, Mallow
20210512 120824 Stuck in the mood!

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