North Eastern India

Most people in India wear turbans to distinguish their rank or religion. The shepherds of Rajasthan, however, wear these arresting red turbans for practical reasons: to shield them from the sun, to carry tea and food, and for the occasional animal-rescue.

In a sea of Hindus, two Muslim men say their daily salah in the direction of Mecca. Though a large minority, Muslims are still a minority in India, and their relationship with the majority Hindu population has notoriously been marked by hostility, tension, and violence. Pray that these two groups would one day find unity, and that they would find it in the person of Jesus Christ.

Railway officers like this man are responsible for making sure the 23 million people who take the train in India everyday get to where they need to go; it’s a difficult, high stress job – which makes his willingness to pause and be photographed all the more meaningful.

Between the sprawling cities of India lie vast stretches of idyllic farmland; this is a country that is the second largest food producer in the world, which means scenes such as this one are quite common.

Seemingly tense worshippers continue with rituals after bathing in the Ganges River. Believed to be holy, the river’s water is said to wash away a person’s sins, thereby diminishing the number of times he or she has to be reborn.

A sadhu, or a Hindu holy man, rests with a collection bucket by his head. Sadhus purposely spend their lives on the fringes of society, believing that their extreme spiritual devotion will help free them from the cycle of reincarnation.

Brown hair, brown skin – green eyes? The ethnic diversity in India is astounding; this little boy’s stunning combination of features is not as rare as we might suppose.

An intricate henna design dries on the hand of an eager passerby; though traditionally worn by Indian brides, having henna, or mehndi, applied has become a common pastime for tourists and locals alike.

Introduced by the British in the 1800s, the Indian rail system is the fourth largest in the world, knitting together a country otherwise divided by vast stretches of land.

Believed to be holy, cows are usually allowed to roam free on the streets of India – which leaves us wondering what this mischief-maker did to earn the chain around his neck.

This water-taxi driver has spent most of his days under the hot Indian sun, carting passengers back and forth across the river; if we asked him what he’s learned about humanity in that time, what do you think he would say?

She pulls out a small mirror to fix the bindi in the middle of her forehead – an Indian woman’s version of “touching up” her makeup. Most Hindu women apply the bindi to their foreheads everyday to enhance their beauty as well as showcase their faith.

This husband and wife duo own a variety store in the tourist district of Varanasi – the city considered to be the “spiritual capital” of India. If location means everything, they have it made.

Some pedestrians don’t mind giving money to Sadhus, or the “holy” men of Hinduism; by doing so, they believe they partake in the benefits of the Sadhu’s extreme spiritual devotion, removing bad karma and setting them up for a successful next life.

As the pious come to bathe in the water of the Ganges River, they may feel compelled to perform acts of charity as well, making begging a “professional” pastime along these water banks.

Though waning in popularity, snake charming still draws a crowd at this snake festival in Kolkata, India. Snakes have long been considered sacred in Hindu mythology, making this spectacle an act of worship as well as entertainment.

Built nearly 300 years ago, the Man Mahal observatory on the banks of the Ganges River was once used to calculate the time, set the calendar, and study the movements of the stars. The observatory has since disintegrated into ruins, but the stars and their Maker have not; pray that the people of India would one day know his name.

The bicycle first made its way to India in the 1890s—almost 70 years after Karl Drais invented the bicycle in 1817. Brought in by the British, bicycles were often seen in towns and villages across India by the 1960s.While their use was initially restricted to European authorities, they soon seeped down to the Indian middle class, becoming a symbol of a self-reliant lifestyle.

It is believed that by worshipping an idol, the worshipper pours his or her very own life into it, making it more divine. Pray for the followers of Hinduism, that they may one day meet the God whose holiness neither increases nor decreases but remains the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

These men have hiked barefoot for hours to release their offering on the banks of the sacred Ganges River. Immersing themselves in its water, they believe, will purify them from their sins – a promise that draws millions of hopeful Hindus to these shores every year.

Gautama Buddha often used the Ganges as a simile or metaphor in his teachings. When he wanted to emphasize the effectiveness of his teachings for attaining nirvana he used the inevitable, unstoppable eastward flow of the Ganges to illustrate this idea. Any red flags?