holy joy

holy joy happened in Varanasi, India. The city, located on the sacred Ganges River, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. At any given time, thousands of devotees celebrate here their religious rituals. The atmosphere is constantly incredibly intense, full of moving emotions, loud music.

The image shows a section of a large crowd of young people celebrating the Holi festival – one of India's most significant holidays. Holi symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, the beginning of spring, and the end of winter. As a sign of their joy, people throw colored powder at each other, dance, and celebrate exuberantly. The caste system, still present in today's India, is temporarily suspended during Holi.

moly joy was taken from a boat on the Ganges river, using a strong tele-lens which allows the focus on a particular group within the much larger crowd, to show individual and collective exaltation. The scenery is intense, loud, engaging, yet friendly and full of sheer joy.