23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
The loudness of silence
In the sacred frenzy of Varanasi's Masan Holi, ash rains from the sky, drums thunder, and bodies dance- yet through it all, one truth remains untouched; Death. As a family carries their loved one toward the Ganges, the chaos of celebration surrounds the stillness of departure. This photograph captures the raw power of ultimate silence- the kind that follows a final breath. Amid wild rituals and human noise, death speaks without sound. It doesn't shout; it simply is. In that silence lies a force greater than celebration- a quiet that outlasts the chaos.
Photo Detail
| Date Taken: | 03.2024 |
| Date Uploaded: | 11.2025 |
| Photo Location: | Varanasi, India |
| Camera: | NIKON Z 7_2 |
| Copyright: | © nishant upadhyay |