"ancestral devotion"

#12780070

21 September 2025

Tattoos are seen on the body of a Hindu devotee as he bathes while performing rituals on the occasion of Mahalaya, also known as Pitru Paksha, an auspicious day to pay homage to ancestors, in Mumbai, India, on September 21, 2025.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12780071

21 September 2025

Tattoos are seen on the body of a Hindu devotee as he bathes while performing rituals on the occasion of Mahalaya, also known as Pitru Paksha, an auspicious day to pay homage to ancestors, in Mumbai, India, on September 21, 2025.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12486566

19 June 2025

Men, women, and children in traditional Bavarian clothing gather in a churchyard on the occasion of Corpus Christi Day in Gauting, Starnberg, Bavaria, Upper Bavaria, Germany, on June 19, 2025. The participants wear festive Tracht, marking one of Bavaria's most important Catholic feast days.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341595

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341597

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341598

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341599

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341600

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341601

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341603

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341604

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341606

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341608

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341610

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341612

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12341614

7 May 2025

Nepali Hindu teenage and adolescent boys undergo the ritualistic tradition of Bratabandha at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 7, 2025. Bratabandha is a pivotal coming-of-age Hindu ritual marking a boy's transition into adulthood within Nepali and broader South Asian culture. Also called the ''sacred thread ceremony,'' Bratabandha traces its origins back over 3,000 years, historically marking the end of childhood around age 12 and charging new adults with societal responsibilities. In Nepal, Bratabandha carries enhanced cultural weight amidst the dominant Hindu population. The extensive rituals connect present citizens to ancestral heritage, conferring identity within the ancient caste system through the wearing of the eponymous sacred ''Janai'' threads diagonally crossing the chest. Beyond just familial celebration, communities recognize the oaths of devotion to learning, faith, and dignity boys take, becoming grown men who lead households and perpetuate traditions into the future.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.