21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Two Devotees

From the series 'THE ONLY LIVING GODDESS', two males sit facing the River Ganges on the purpose-built worship platforms. One of India's seven holy cities, Varanasi is the most holy, and the Ganges River flows alongside the city from where it begins in the Himalayas. Attracting 50,000 people per day during the busiest Hindu festivals, worshippers wash and bathe in its waters to absolve themselves of sin, and to ask for forgiveness. Revered as a goddess and destructive only in her nature as a river, Mother Ganga is believed to hold the key to ending the cycle of rebirth – and therefore suffering, to her worshippers. Using a large format Linhof Technika IV camera my aim was to capture a feeling of the associated spiritual energy that the Ganges holds.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Varanasi, India
Camera: Tiff File
Copyright: © Cameron Laing