Bihar. बिहार

Rangmalla. Sonepur Mela

2010-05-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

Rangmalla, the elephant, trying to catch the plastic bag of a pilgrim in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela.
www.claude-renault.fr

Puja. Sonepur. Bihar

2010-05-25T09:21:00.001-07:00

Faithful making offerings to a lingam on Kali ghat during the Sonepur Mela.
www.claude-renault.fr

Elephants. Sonepur Mela

2010-05-25T09:19:00.001-07:00

A Mahout waiting for customers during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
www.clauderenault.fr

Bath. Sonepur Mela

2010-05-25T09:17:00.001-07:00

Pilgrims taking their Holy bath in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
www.claude-renault.fr

Goats. Sonepur Mela.

2010-05-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

Goats are also on sale during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar.
www.claude-renault.fr

Elephant. Sonepur Mela. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:18:00.001-08:00

Samastipur, a 4 years old baby elephant being decorated by his Mahout Sunder Prasad, during the Sonepur Cattle fair. www.claude-renault.fr

Bath. Sonepur Mela. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:17:00.001-08:00

Pilgrims bathing in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar www.claude-renault.fr

Rangmalla. Sonepur. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:16:00.000-08:00

Rangmalla, a 30 year old elephant being cleaned up in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela in Bihar. www.claude-renault.fr

Sadhu. Sonepur Mela. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:09:00.001-08:00

Sri Maitresa Sharma was a 28 years old Sadhu from Banauli, Bihar. When he died, his brother decided he would come to Sonepur to do the ceremony and throw the body in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day, as a Sadhu can't be cremated. We drove the body in the middle of the river before letting him go. In the background, a fisherman and Kali ghats. www.claude-renault.fr

Ceremonial. Sonepur Mela. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

Sri Maitresa Sharma was a 28 Years old Sadhu from Banauli, Bihar. When he died, his brother decided he would come to Sonepur to do the ceremonial and throw the body in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day, as a Sadhu can't be cremated.

www.claude-renault.fr

Pilgrims. Sonepur Mela. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:06:00.001-08:00

A pilgrim during his bath in the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela. www.claude-renault.fr

Pilgrims. Sonepur. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:05:00.001-08:00

Pilgrims on the banks of the Gandak river during the Sonepur Mela. www.claude-renault.fr

Puja. Sonepur. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

Women doing a Puja on Kartik Purnima day during the Sonepur cattle fair. At the same time another one is doing her laundry and an elephant is being cleaned up. Too bad a train isn't crossing the bridge at the same time!! www.claude-renault.fr

Rangmalla. Sonepur. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:02:00.001-08:00

Nayeem-Ud-Din, the caretaker of Rangmalla, a 30 years old elephant from Chapra village in sale at the Sonepur mela, Bihar. He had to take Rangmalla to take her bath in the Gandak river twice a day during the 3 weeks long fair. www.clauderenault.fr

Devotion. Sonepur. Bihar

2010-01-18T09:01:00.001-08:00

Pilgrims bathing in the Gandak river on Kartik Purnima day in Sonepur, the beginning of a 3 weeks animal fair in this little village of Bihar, thousands of pilgrims and visitors are gathering there. Impressive. www.claude-renault.fr

Nuns. Bodghaya

2009-06-15T00:50:00.001-07:00

Nuns praying around the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.
For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodhgaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Prayer. Bodhgaya

2008-12-11T00:51:00.001-08:00

A Buddhist woman qietly praying in near the entrance of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya. For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. It is famous for being the place of Gautama Buddha's attainment of nirvana (Enlightenment).

Praying. Bodhgaya

2008-12-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

A monk praying in front of the Boddhi tree in Bodhgaya

Bodhi Tree. Bodhgaya

2008-09-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

Praying under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya

Nuns. Bodhgaya

2008-09-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Monk. Bodhgaya

2008-09-16T04:45:00.000-07:00

A monk circling the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya

Sadhu. Bodhgaya

2008-08-20T01:21:00.001-07:00

A sadhu walking around the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.

Walking. Bodhgaya

2008-08-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

At night , walking around the Mahabodhi temple

Mahabodhi Temple. Bodhgaya

2008-08-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

The Mahabodhi Temple is a famous temple standing tall at 54 mts. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this temple has been renovated over the years. It enshrines a large golden Buddha, and is encompassed by an ancient railing, dating back to 100 BC. See also the famous Bodhi Tree where Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, and the Vajrasana or throne, where Buddha sat.

A Nice man. Patna

2007-03-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

We shared a moment sitting together during a shower, a lot of rain..

Look ... Patna

2006-12-13T04:28:00.001-08:00

Deep inside. Patna

2006-12-13T04:26:00.002-08:00

Portrait of the previous woman you see going away from the river Ganges.
I was walking alongside the Ganges in Patna, where all the women were doing their laundry..
That one was a bit curious about the camera... She came to look inside..
Another nice moment. Patna in the state of Bihar is a very friendly city.

Laundry. Patna

2006-12-13T04:26:00.001-08:00

Thinking....Patna

2006-12-13T04:24:00.000-08:00

Back home from the market . Patna

2006-12-13T04:23:00.000-08:00

Saddhu. Patna.

2006-11-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

A sleepy saddhu at the door of a small temple in Patna. The Saddhu tradition has a long history. It consists of renouncing
worldly ties in pursuit of higher values of life. Ideally a sadhu lives in the society but is detached from its pleasures and pains.

Saddhus typically survive on bhiksha (alms) provided by families, and on natural resources, and they spend much of
their time in meditation.

Thums up. Patna

2006-11-13T07:11:00.001-08:00

A picture taken in Patna, the capital of the state of Bihar. Temperature was going up very fast,
and this rickshaw driver was having a well earned rest. Difficult light that day.

"Thums" Up is a national drink, with a taste close to the one of Coke, a bit better for me and a lot cheaper..
Patna is a very interesting town with no tourists at all, so it's really quiet for us travelling there..

From the top of the Granery. Patna

2006-11-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

Death. Patna

2006-11-11T05:37:00.000-08:00

A corpse on the side of one of Patna's main road waiting to be brought up to the cremation center on the banks of the Sacred Ganges.

Ferry. Patna

2006-11-09T09:17:00.001-08:00

People waiting for the ferry to cross the river Ganges...

Photography. Patna

2006-11-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

And the result is pretty good after 5 minutes.
I did it for me.

Take my picture. Patna....

2006-11-09T09:14:00.002-08:00

Rickshaw driver. Patna

2006-11-09T09:14:00.001-08:00

Saddhu. Patna

2006-11-08T23:11:00.000-08:00

A saddhu saluting me. he was sitting in a temple alongside the sacred Ganges river

Laundry day. Bodhgaya

2006-11-08T22:20:00.000-08:00

A woman doing her laundry in Bodhgaya. The place is near a river next to the former palace.

River Crossing. Bodhgaya

2006-11-08T22:19:00.000-08:00

Sujata Temple. Bodhgaya

2006-11-08T04:41:00.000-08:00

Two man elegantly resting at the foot of a tree, near the entrance of the Sujata temple, outside of Bodhgaya.
Bodhgaya is the place where the Buddha attained enlightment..

A Nun meditating. Bodhgaya

2006-11-08T00:46:00.000-08:00

Consultation. Bodhgaya

2006-11-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

A man consulting in Bodhgaya.

I shot this image having in mind a picture from Henri Cartier Bresson shot in 1947.
It was actually the picture of an Astrologer in Bombay, shot in the same way, the writings being on the right side though...

Buddha. Bodhgaya

2006-11-07T08:05:00.001-08:00

A sculpture of Buddha shot inside the cave where he meditated for 7 years.

Praying. Bodhgaya

2006-11-07T07:38:00.000-08:00