The Sikhs have a reputation throughout India as fierce warriors. The guards at the Golden Temple reinforce this perception. Dressed in yellow tunics and often carrying spears, the guards are scattered throughout the temple grounds and the pilgrims hostel. Colors … Continued
Honey-soaked sun rays burnish the burly men with bushy beards and stout bellies as they walk amidst the temple’s golden glow, its 750 kilograms of gold shimmering like a terrestrial sun. As the Sikh religion’s holiest site, Harmandir Sahib (Temple … Continued
As a center of spirituality, Hindu teachings and wisdom resonate throughout Rishikesh. Gurus and babas line the streets, even on the remotest, loneliest stretches. Most of the town’s roads trace the turquoise Ganges River’s path, the holy river that carries … Continued
Oceans of color flutter in the sky like a kaleidoscope of parrots migrating with the breeze. The heavens of Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, are alight with prayer flags: blue, white, red, green and yellow, each representing a natural … Continued
In Southern Burma, a gilded rock hangs precariously on the edge of a mountaintop, suspended by a single hair of the Buddha. The sun shimmers on its glowing face while pilgrims meditate and paste gold leaf at its foot. According … Continued