Tags / Spirituality

The best high in the Mediterranean isn’t on Ibiza. It’s in the mountains of Mallorca and it’s called Wake Up Dance. Llewelyn, a DJ who grew tired of the night scene, is transforming the idea of going out from the small Mallorquín village of Deià. Every Saturday morning for a few hours he shares his passion for music for free to all those interested. At this party, there's no room for booze or drugs. Only endorphins.

The best high in the Mediterranean isn’t on Ibiza. It’s in the mountains of Mallorca and it’s called Wake Up Dance. Llewelyn, a DJ who grew tired of the night scene, is transforming the idea of going out from the small Mallorquín village of Deià. Every Saturday morning for a few hours he shares his passion for music for free to all those interested. At this party, there's no room for booze or drugs. Only endorphins.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

This is a set of pictures showing Hindu devotee at the hardest part of pilgrimage, the 272 steps to reach the sacred Batu Caves temple to place their kavadi at the feet of the deity statue.
Hindu devotees climb the stairs to reach the temple cave during Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfilled their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burden) to Lord Murugan. They will make an arduous climbing up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposited at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Thousands of Hindus gather to participate in the annual Thaipusam festival of penance honouring Lord Murugan. During Thaipusam day, devotees will fulfill their vows by carrying 'kavadi' (burdens) to Lord Murugan. They make an arduous climb up the 272 steps leading up to the temple cave and deposit their 'kavadi' at the feet of the Lord Murugan to purify themselves.

Safyah Hassan-Yavuz, a 28 years old German Muslim, feels constantly pressured to justify herself for being a Muslim in Germany. She believes that conditions for Muslims in Germany worsened in the wake of Paris attacks. The political movement PEGIDA, or Patriotic European Against the Islamization of the West, has also triggered divisions in German society. This story focuses on a slice of Safyah's life as a Muslim woman with both German and Muslim heritage and her experience in a country going through an identity crisis that has both united people and torn them apart.

More than 100 Sufi worshipers and performers of Al-Rashidiya traditional music band gave an ecstatic show titled The Visit at the Tunisian capital’s municipal theater. The spiritual performance, which included traditional Sufi music and dancing, revolved around praising God, Prophet Mohammad and Sufi saints. The performance was directed by Sami Lajmi and featured artists Mohammad Dahlab, Haidar Amir and Munir al-Troudi al-Naat, as well as Sheikhs Mukhtar Bayyoud and Mahdi Abbas.

More than 100 Sufi worshipers and performers of Al-Rashidiya traditional music band gave an ecstatic show titled The Visit at the Tunisian capital’s municipal theater. The spiritual performance, which included traditional Sufi music and dancing, revolved around praising God, Prophet Mohammad and Sufi saints. The performance was directed by Sami Lajmi and featured artists Mohammad Dahlab, Haidar Amir and Munir al-Troudi al-Naat, as well as Sheikhs Mukhtar Bayyoud and Mahdi Abbas.

More than 100 Sufi worshipers and performers of Al-Rashidiya traditional music band gave an ecstatic show titled The Visit at the Tunisian capital’s municipal theater. The spiritual performance, which included traditional Sufi music and dancing, revolved around praising God, Prophet Mohammad and Sufi saints. The performance was directed by Sami Lajmi and featured artists Mohammad Dahlab, Haidar Amir and Munir al-Troudi al-Naat, as well as Sheikhs Mukhtar Bayyoud and Mahdi Abbas.

More than 100 Sufi worshipers and performers of Al-Rashidiya traditional music band gave an ecstatic show titled The Visit at the Tunisian capital’s municipal theater. The spiritual performance, which included traditional Sufi music and dancing, revolved around praising God, Prophet Mohammad and Sufi saints. The performance was directed by Sami Lajmi and featured artists Mohammad Dahlab, Haidar Amir and Munir al-Troudi al-Naat, as well as Sheikhs Mukhtar Bayyoud and Mahdi Abbas.

More than 100 Sufi worshipers and performers of Al-Rashidiya traditional music band gave an ecstatic show titled The Visit at the Tunisian capital’s municipal theater. The spiritual performance, which included traditional Sufi music and dancing, revolved around praising God, Prophet Mohammad and Sufi saints. The performance was directed by Sami Lajmi and featured artists Mohammad Dahlab, Haidar Amir and Munir al-Troudi al-Naat, as well as Sheikhs Mukhtar Bayyoud and Mahdi Abbas.

More than 100 Sufi worshipers and performers of Al-Rashidiya traditional music band gave an ecstatic show titled The Visit at the Tunisian capital’s municipal theater. The spiritual performance, which included traditional Sufi music and dancing, revolved around praising God, Prophet Mohammad and Sufi saints. The performance was directed by Sami Lajmi and featured artists Mohammad Dahlab, Haidar Amir and Munir al-Troudi al-Naat, as well as Sheikhs Mukhtar Bayyoud and Mahdi Abbas.

Every year thousands of Hindu devotees gather in front of Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram temple for the Kartik Brati or Rakher Upobash religious festival in Barodi, Near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Faithful sit in front of candles light ( named locally as Prodip ) and absorb in prayer.
Lokenath Brahmachari who is called Baba Lokenath was an 18th Century Hindu saint and philosopher in Bengal. Hindu worshippers fast and pray in earnest to the gods for their favors during the traditional ritual called Kartik Brati or Rakher Upobash
Lokenath Brahmachari devotees pray with light to save their family and dear from cholera and pox disease

Every year thousands of Hindu devotees gather in front of Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram temple for the Kartik Brati or Rakher Upobash religious festival in Barodi, Near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Faithful sit in front of candles light ( named locally as Prodip ) and absorb in prayer.
Lokenath Brahmachari who is called Baba Lokenath was an 18th Century Hindu saint and philosopher in Bengal. Hindu worshippers fast and pray in earnest to the gods for their favors during the traditional ritual called Kartik Brati or Rakher Upobash
Lokenath Brahmachari devotees pray with light to save their family and dear from cholera and pox disease

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They light lamps and candles and bring offerings of fruit, sweets, nuts and cowÕs milk, praying to Baba Lokenath to save their family and dear ones from curses and disease.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They observe a strict fast and remain sitting absorbed in prayer until the flames burn-out.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They observe a strict fast and remain sitting absorbed in prayer until the flames burn-out.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They observe a strict fast and remain sitting absorbed in prayer until the flames burn-out.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They observe a strict fast and remain sitting absorbed in prayer until the flames burn-out.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They light lamps and candles and bring offerings of fruit, sweets, nuts and cowÕs milk, praying to Baba Lokenath to save their family and dear ones from curses and disease.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They observe a strict fast and remain sitting absorbed in prayer until the flames burn-out.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They observe a strict fast and remain sitting absorbed in prayer until the flames burn-out.

At the Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram near Dhaka, members of BangladeshÕs Hindu community come together to celebrate the ÒRakher UpobasÓ prayer to the god Lokenath Brahmachari, who is said to embody love in the Hindu tradition. They observe a strict fast and remain sitting absorbed in prayer until the flames burn-out.