Unexpected, Overwhelming Hinduism - Myanmar

*A warning to my more squeamish visitors, this story includes graphic images*

The drums: pounding. The crowd: dense. The colors: vibrant.

In a word,

Overwhelming.

It was after 5:00pm, and I had spent the day on nearby Bilugyun (Ogre) Island in the heat of Myanmar (Burma) summer. I was exhausted. So exhausted in fact, that when I caught a glimpse of a line of 150-odd monks walking toward us on the other side of the road my first instinct was to just move on.

Then, something I'd never seen before.

A row of people walking on the other side of the road. Brightly colored garland draped over-top of an apparatus some were Read More

Photo Essay, JourneyDustin MainFebruary 11, 2013Mawlamyine, Myanmar (Burma)Myanmar, Burma, Monk, Monks, Asia, Photo, Photography, Hindu Comments

As the Monks Gather - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Monks, and Buddhism in general, have a strong bond with society in Thailand and other neighboring countries in the region. However, a recent article in the New York Times suggests that as the region becomes more wealthy, monks will lose relevance in the...

Street Monk - Chiang Mai

Not saying it's because of a hard-knock life, but this monk stood out.

It was his Sak Yant tattoo and his deep red robe. A walk showing an unusual uniqueness in a sea of monks, swinging the fabric as he moved. He walked alone, when there were thousands of others around.

I shot this at an event in Chiang Mai where 12600 monks gathered to accept alms for the flood victims in southern Thailand.

Shot November 27, 2011

12600 Monks, One Street - Chiang Mai

A sea of orange pouring through the streets. 12600 monks, in their exceptionally bright robes like 12600 burning candles.

The occasion was the alms giving ceremony in Chiang Mai, with the public urged to bring donations of canned & non-perishable food. This year, the donations would be turned over to the victims of the disastrous flooding that has recently taken place in Thailand and made news headlines around the world.

On an early morning last month, I woke up to witness the ceremony.

Overwhelming.

All images and content copyright Dustin Main 2009-2023 unless otherwise specified.