One Shot: Sandra Chandler: Carnavale

Photo ©Sandra Chandler-All Rights Reserved
As Venice Carnavale will be celebrated in less than two weeks (mid-February 2009); essentially starting two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ending on Mardi Gras or Fat Tuedsay, here's a lovely (and an award-winning) photograph of a masked reveler by photographer Sandra Chandler.

Sandra is a photographer and interior designer based in San Francisco. She tells us that color, smells and sounds drew her to world travel. Her city's Asian culture first enticed her to China in 1978 when the People’s Republic first opened. She then continued her exploration of Asia by traveling to Bhutan, India, Japan, Singapore, Nepal, Thailand, Tibet, and on to South America and Europe.

I know where Sandra is heading in June. It's to document the Gnawa festival in Morocco.

WSJ Photo Journal: Magh Mela

Photo ©Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP-All Rights Reserved
The WSJ's Photo Journal published this photograph of Hindu devotees offering prayers on Mauni Amavasya, or new moon day, the third and the most auspicious date of bathing during the annual month long Hindu religious event of Magh Mela in Allahabad, India which begins begins on January 11 and ends on February 23, 2009.

The Magh Mela is held on the banks of the Sangam ( the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers and the mythical Saraswati) in Allahabad. The main ritual involves immersiong oneself in the Sangam on auspicious dates. This is said to wash out sins and lead to moksha, the ultimate aim of Hindus.

My photo essay on the Maha Kumbh Mela is at The Sadhus of the Kumbh Mela.