"Divine Lunga"

#13325615

15 February 2026

Devotees visit Maha Mrityunjay Temple, the world's largest 126-foot-tall Shiva linga, on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival in Nagaon District, Assam, India, on February 15, 2026.

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#13325616

15 February 2026

Devotees visit Maha Mrityunjay Temple, the world's largest 126-foot-tall Shiva linga, on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival in Nagaon District, Assam, India, on February 15, 2026.

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#13325617

15 February 2026

A girl performs rituals at Maha Mrityunjay Temple, the world's largest 126-foot-tall Shiva linga, on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival in Nagaon District, Assam, India, on February 15, 2026.

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#13325619

15 February 2026

Devotees visit Maha Mrityunjay Temple, the world's largest 126-foot-tall Shiva linga, on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival in Nagaon District, Assam, India, on February 15, 2026.

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#13325620

15 February 2026

Devotees visit Maha Mrityunjay Temple, the world's largest 126-foot-tall Shiva linga, on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival in Nagaon District, Assam, India, on February 15, 2026.

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#13325622

15 February 2026

Devotees visit Maha Mrityunjay Temple, the world's largest 126-foot-tall Shiva linga, on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri festival in Nagaon District, Assam, India, on February 15, 2026.

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#13288121

8 February 2026

A Confucian woman is possessed, believed to be the spirit of a god, during a traditional ritual of washing statues of gods and goddesses, also known as Rupang, in preparation for the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Hok Lay Kiong temple in Bekasi city, West Java, on February 8, 2026.

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#13288122

8 February 2026

A Confucian woman is possessed, believed to be the spirit of a god, during a traditional ritual of washing statues of gods and goddesses, also known as Rupang, in preparation for the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Hok Lay Kiong temple in Bekasi city, West Java, on February 8, 2026.

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#13288123

8 February 2026

A Confucian woman is possessed, believed to be the spirit of a god, during a traditional ritual of washing statues of gods and goddesses, also known as Rupang, in preparation for the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Hok Lay Kiong temple in Bekasi city, West Java, on February 8, 2026.

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#13288126

8 February 2026

A Confucian woman is possessed, believed to be the spirit of a god, during a traditional ritual of washing statues of gods and goddesses, also known as Rupang, in preparation for the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Hok Lay Kiong temple in Bekasi city, West Java, on February 8, 2026.

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#12952841

5 November 2025

Hindu devotees light oil lamps on the river Ganges during Dev Deepawali in Kolkata, India, on November 5, 2025. This religious festival occurs on the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartika and honors the deity Shiva's victory over the mythological demon Tripurasur. The celebration includes illumination, spiritual rituals, and traditional worship, reflecting faith and culture. Known as the festival of lights, this Indian festival takes place on the sacred river, observing Hinduism's lunar calendar and divine mythology.

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#12698166

31 August 2025

Nepali revelers watch the celebration of the late summer festival of ''Gaura,'' singing songs of faith and struggle while smoking in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 31, 2025. The festival, observed for five days and led primarily by women, has roots in ancient scriptures and centers on the worship of Goddess Gaura, also known as the Hindu goddess Parvati, and her union with Lord Shiva. The word Gaura refers to Gauri, another name for Goddess Parvati, and there are more than one thousand eight hundred names of her in total. Gaura Parva commemorates Parvati's penance to win Shiva as her husband. It marks the divine marriage between the two deities, an event mentioned in the Himavat Khanda, a segment of the Skanda Purana in Hinduism and several other Puranas. In these accounts, Parvati, the daughter of the Himalaya, worships Shiva through strict fasting. Her devotion eventually results in their union, which devotees continue to celebrate every year. The Manas Khanda section of the Skanda Purana places Gaura's origins in the Himalayan region, specifically among communities in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. The festival is most prominently celebrated in Nepal across the far-western districts of Doti, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Bajhang, Achham, and Bajura. It falls in August or September, depending on the lunar calendar.

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#12698167

31 August 2025

A Nepali Hindu woman takes part in a procession in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 31, 2025, to celebrate the late summer festival of ''Gaura,'' singing songs of faith and struggle. The festival, observed for five days and led primarily by women, has roots in ancient scriptures and centers on the worship of Goddess Gaura, also known as Hindu goddess Parvati, and her union with Lord Shiva. The word Gaura refers to Gauri, another name for Goddess Parvati, and there are more than one thousand eight hundred names of her in total. Gaura Parva commemorates Parvati's penance to win Shiva as her husband. It marks the divine marriage between the two deities, an event mentioned in the Himavat Khanda, a segment of the Skanda Purana in Hinduism and several other Puranas. In these accounts, Parvati, the daughter of the Himalaya, worships Shiva through strict fasting. Her devotion eventually results in their union, which devotees continue to celebrate every year. The Manas Khanda section of the Skanda Purana places Gaura's origins in the Himalayan region, specifically among communities in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. The festival is most prominently celebrated in Nepal across the far-western districts of Doti, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Bajhang, Achham, and Bajura. It falls in August or September, depending on the lunar calendar.

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#12698168

31 August 2025

Nepali Hindu women dance in a circle to celebrate the late summer festival of ''Gaura,'' singing songs of faith and struggle in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 31, 2025. The festival, observed for five days and led primarily by women, has roots in ancient scriptures and centers on the worship of Goddess Gaura, also known as Hindu goddess Parvati, and her union with Lord Shiva. The word Gaura refers to Gauri, another name for Goddess Parvati, and there are more than one thousand eight hundred names for her in total. Gaura Parva commemorates Parvati's penance to win Shiva as her husband. It marks the divine marriage between the two deities, an event mentioned in the Himavat Khanda, a segment of the Skanda Purana in Hinduism and several other Puranas. In these accounts, Parvati, the daughter of the Himalaya, worships Shiva through strict fasting. Her devotion eventually results in their union, which devotees continue to celebrate every year. The Manas Khanda section of the Skanda Purana places Gaura's origins in the Himalayan region, specifically among communities in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. The festival is most prominently celebrated in Nepal across the far-western districts of Doti, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Bajhang, Achham, and Bajura. It falls in August or September, depending on the lunar calendar.

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#12698169

31 August 2025

Nepali Hindu women dance in a circle to celebrate the late summer festival of ''Gaura,'' singing songs of faith and struggle in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 31, 2025. The festival, observed for five days and led primarily by women, has roots in ancient scriptures and centers on the worship of Goddess Gaura, also known as Hindu goddess Parvati, and her union with Lord Shiva. The word Gaura refers to Gauri, another name for Goddess Parvati, and there are more than one thousand eight hundred names for her in total. Gaura Parva commemorates Parvati's penance to win Shiva as her husband. It marks the divine marriage between the two deities, an event mentioned in the Himavat Khanda, a segment of the Skanda Purana in Hinduism and several other Puranas. In these accounts, Parvati, the daughter of the Himalaya, worships Shiva through strict fasting. Her devotion eventually results in their union, which devotees continue to celebrate every year. The Manas Khanda section of the Skanda Purana places Gaura's origins in the Himalayan region, specifically among communities in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. The festival is most prominently celebrated in Nepal across the far-western districts of Doti, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Bajhang, Achham, and Bajura. It falls in August or September, depending on the lunar calendar.

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#12698170

31 August 2025

Nepali Hindu women dance in a circle to celebrate the late summer festival of ''Gaura,'' singing songs of faith and struggle in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 31, 2025. The festival, observed for five days and led primarily by women, has roots in ancient scriptures and centers on the worship of Goddess Gaura, also known as Hindu goddess Parvati, and her union with Lord Shiva. The word Gaura refers to Gauri, another name for Goddess Parvati, and there are more than one thousand eight hundred names for her in total. Gaura Parva commemorates Parvati's penance to win Shiva as her husband. It marks the divine marriage between the two deities, an event mentioned in the Himavat Khanda, a segment of the Skanda Purana in Hinduism and several other Puranas. In these accounts, Parvati, the daughter of the Himalaya, worships Shiva through strict fasting. Her devotion eventually results in their union, which devotees continue to celebrate every year. The Manas Khanda section of the Skanda Purana places Gaura's origins in the Himalayan region, specifically among communities in Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. The festival is most prominently celebrated in Nepal across the far-western districts of Doti, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Bajhang, Achham, and Bajura. It falls in August or September, depending on the lunar calendar.

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