18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Bed of Thorns

It was my second day in the grandeur and divinity of Kumbha. I'd seen many saints, ascetics offering their prayers to the almighty in their own unique and peculiar ways. I was walking along the river coast when my eyes beheld the majestic meditation of this Sadhu. He was lying down on a bed of thorns, and there was not a tiny hint of pain on his face. His face was so serene that it appeared to me that he was witnessing the presence of god in the darkness hidden beneath those closed eyes. It was one the most divine experiences of life. It even gave me goosebumps and made me rethink my existence for a while. Kumbha is always full of things that are beyond human imaginations. And I'm always glad and grateful to be a part of it.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 02.2019
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Lakhimpur kheri, India
Camera: SM-J500F
Copyright: © Priyanshu Tripathi