28 February 2017

Partying at Shivratri Mela

Meditation, processions, chanting, chillum-smoking and money-making accompany the annual Shivratri Mela aka Bhavnath Fair near Junagadh in the Indian state of Gujarat when hundreds of saffron-clad and ash-powdered naked Shaivite sadhus set camp in the vicinity of Mount Girnar. It’s a boisterous five-day festival, held every year on the 14th day of the Hindu calendar month of Magha, culminating with the full-scale worship of God Shiva at midnight of the Maha Shivaratri which is thronged with naked sadhus aka naga sadhus offering their prayers at the temple. Many of the Shaivite devotees believe that God Shiva himself visits the shrine here on this holiest day.

By the way, the Bhavnath Fair is the backbone of the economy of Junagadh, as more than one million pilgrims who visit the fair generate a revenue of c. 250 million Indian rupees (c. 4 million US$) in only five days...

Matt Hahnewald Photography; Facing the World; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; educational; Nikon D3100; Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portraiture; closeup; headshot; three-quarter view; tilted head; orange; outdoor; colour; saffron; saffron-coloured turban; cultural; character; personality; real people; human head; forehead; human face; tilaka; third eye; human eyes; laughing eyes; teeth; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; finger rings; jewellery; fanciful bracelet; right hand; gemstones; turban; body language; gesture; hand-on-cheek gesture; consent; ethnic portrait; travel; travel portrait; Hinduism; festival; devotee; worshipper; Shivratri Mela; Junagadh; Gujarat; Western India; one person; male; adult; middle-aged man; Indian man; Hindu; sitting; posing; authentic; smiling

Matt Hahnewald Photography; Facing the World; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; Nikon D3100; Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portraiture; closeup; headshot; full-face view; orange; indoor; low-light conditions; colour; colourful; cultural; character; personality; real people; human head; forehead; human face; tilaka; third eye; human eyes; facial expression; eye contact; white full beard; well groomed full beard; white hair; bareheaded; consent; empathy; rapport; encounter; respect; dignity; travel portrait; cultural portrait; Hinduism; festival; event; devotee; worshipper; Shivratri Mela; Junagadh; Gujarat; Western India; Indian man; old man; one person; male; adult; senior; posing; authentic; dignified; lighting

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portraiture; portrait; closeup; head shot; full-face view; outdoors; color; character; real people; human head; forehead; face; third eye; eyes; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; hair; consent; traveling; religion; religious; hinduism; festival; mela; sadhu; devotee; holy; tradition; traditional; culture; cultural; shivratri mela; junagadh; gujarat; asian; asia; indian; one person; male; adult; middle-aged man; man; portrait man; posing; authentic; india

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; educational; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; head shot; full-face view; outdoors; color; character; real people; human head; face; eyes; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; dishevelled; barechested; bareheaded; consent; empathy; encounter; emotion; fun; festival; event; mela; pilgrim; shivratri mela; bhavnath; junagadh; gujarat; india; indian; one person; male; adult; middle-aged man; portrait man; posing

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; educational; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; head shot; seven-eighths view; low-angle shot; outdoors; color; character; real people; human head; forehead; receding hairline; face; makeup; painted face; sandalwood paste; chandanam; tilaka; third eye; eyes; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; pipe; smoke; right hand; hashish; marijuana; chillum; body language; gesture; consent; religion; religious; hinduism; festival; event; mela; sadhu; holy; shivratri mela; junagadh; gujarat; asian; asia; indian; one person; male; adult; old man; senior; posing; authentic; devotee; pilgrim; guru

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; educational; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; head shot; full-face view; outdoors; color; character; real people; human head; face; eyes; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; dreadlocks; turban man; headwrap; leopard print; consent; ethnic; religion; religious; hinduism; festival; event; mela; sadhu; devotee; guru; holy; shivratri mela; junagadh; gujarat; asian; asia; indian; one person; male; adult; middle-aged man; posing; authentic

Matt Hahnewald Photography; Facing the World; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; educational; Nikon D3100; Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portraiture; closeup; headshot; full-face view; outdoor; colour; cultural portrait; naked; character; personality; real people; human head; human face; ceremonial makeup; white face; sacred ash; vibhuti; human eyes; bloodshot eyes; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; unkempt hair; dishevelled beard; bareheaded; consent; empathy; rapport; encounter; ethnic portrait; travel portrait; Hinduism; festival; event; sadhu; devotee; Shivratri Mela; Junagadh; Gujarat; Western India; Indian man; young man; one person; male; young adult; posing; authentic; stoned; doped

Matt Hahnewald Photography; Facing the World; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; Nikon D3100; Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portraiture; portrait; half-length portrait; closeup; full-face view; outdoors; color; cultural portrait; character; personality; real people; human head; high forehead; face; ceremonial makeup; naked; sacred ash; vibhuti; eyes; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; pipe; smoke; chillum; bareheaded; marijuana; hashish; body language; both hands; consent; ethnic portrait; travel portrait; religion; religious; hinduism; tradition; festival; event; mela; sadhu; devotee; pilgrim; holy; traditional; culture; elderly man; Shivratri Mela; Junagadh; Gujarat; asian; asia; indian; one person; man; smoking; holy man; white face

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; head shot; full-face view; outdoors; color; character; personality; real people; human head; high forehead; receding hairline; face; sacred ash; vibhuti; eyes; bloodshot eyes; facial expression; eye contact; french cut beard; consent; traveling; religion; religious; hinduism; festival; mela; devotee; culture; cultural; shivratri mela; junagadh; gujarat; asian; asia; indian; one person; male; adult; middle-aged man; portrait man; posing; authentic; india

Matt Hahnewald Photography; Facing the World; naked; photography; photo; face perception; physiognomy; Nikon D3100; Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; headshot; full-face view; outdoors; color; cultural portrait; character; personality; real people; human head; high forehead; face; ceremonial makeup; sacred ash; vibhuti; eyes; facial expression; eye contact; full beard; dreadlocks; crescent moon; dreadbun; bareheaded; body language; right hand; raised right hand; consent; ethnic portrait; travel; religious; hinduism; festival; event; blessing; mela; sadhu; devotee; holy man; holy; traditional; culture; Shivratri Mela; Junagadh; Gujarat; asian; asia; indian; one person; middle-aged; man; shiva; shaivism; shaivite sadhu; chandra; lunar deity; white body; white face

"There is one thing the photograph must contain,
the humanity of the moment."
(Robert Frank)

matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; picture; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; educational; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; head shot; full-face view; outdoors; color; character; real people; human head; face; makeup; painted face; sacred ash; vibhuti; eyes; facial expression; unease; eye contact; dreadlocks; unkempt hair; dishevelled; bareheaded; consent; empathy; respect; spiritual; religion; religious; hinduism; festival; event; mela; sadhvi; female sadhu; holy; tradition; traditional; culture; cultural; shivratri mela; bhavnath; junagadh; gujarat; asian; asia; indian; people; one person; female; adult; young woman; portrait woman; posing; authentic; india; illustrative editorial
matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; picture; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; educational; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; head shot; full-face view; outdoors; color; character; real people; human head; face; makeup; painted face; sacred ash; vibhuti; eyes; facial expression; doubt; eye contact; dreadlocks; unkempt hair; dishevelled; bareheaded; consent; empathy; respect; spiritual; religion; religious; hinduism; festival; event; mela; sadhvi; female sadhu; holy; tradition; traditional; culture; cultural; shivratri mela; bhavnath; junagadh; gujarat; asian; asia; indian; people; one person; female; adult; young woman; portrait woman; posing; authentic; india; illustrative editorial
matt hahnewald photography; facing the world; picture; photography; photo; image; face perception; physiognomy; psychological; educational; nikon d3100; nikkor af-s 50mm f/1.8g; prime lens; 50mm lens; 4x3 aspect ratio; horizontal format; street; portrait; closeup; head shot; full-face view; outdoors; color; character; real people; human head; face; makeup; painted face; sacred ash; vibhuti; eyes; facial expression; joy; eye contact; dreadlocks; unkempt hair; dishevelled; bareheaded; consent; empathy; respect; spiritual; religion; religious; hinduism; festival; event; mela; sadhvi; female sadhu; holy; tradition; traditional; culture; cultural; shivratri mela; bhavnath; junagadh; gujarat; asian; asia; indian; people; one person; female; adult; young woman; portrait woman; posing; authentic; india; illustrative editorial

More portrait photographs with Shaivite devotees in Matt Hahnewald's

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