An online conversation with photographer Cathy Scholl yesterday reminded me of one of my earlier audio-slideshows, which I had titled Pind Daan in Baneshwar.
I realized that it hadn't received the view number I had hoped it would; perhaps because it was on the final page of my Vimeo channel. So this is an attempt to goose it up a little.
The Baneshwar mela is popular tribal gathering held in the Dungarpur district in south Rajasthan. The gathering is followed by a fair held at a small delta formed by the river Soma and Mahi. It's a relatively modest event, without the hype and the attendance of the Kumbh Melas, but it's nevertheless a deeply religious gathering with simple and traditional rituals.
Bhil and Garasia tribals come from the neighboring states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to offer prayers to Lord Shiva, to perform pind daan, and to socialize.
