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In January 2001, Mike Tauber returned to India to
photograph the Maha Kumbh Mela for a personal project on unique
festivals and human gatherings around the world. "Never before
have I seen such a mass of humanity in one area. The sheer numbers of
people, the conditions they endured and the strength of their Hindu
faith far surpassed the usual spiritual intensity of India," says
the New York City-based photographer. From the Mela, he traveled to
Bodhgaya to cover a Tibetan Buddhist festival at the site where the
Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.
With a background in environmental science and anthropology, Tauber
specializes in portraiture, cultural and adventure travel imagery for
both editorial and commercial clients. In addition to his assignment
work, he shoots pro bono for several non-profit human rights
organizations and continues to develop his own stories around issues
affecting global culture and the environment.
To see additional work by Mike Tauber, go to
http://www.miketauber.com.
Once every 12 years, this sacred Hindu festival
occurs at the confluence of the Yamuna and Ganga Rivers in Allahabad,
Uttar Pradesh, India. This past January-February 2001 marked a
particularly noteworthy Mela since it was the 12th cycle of the 12th
year, hence the most auspicious Mela in the last 144 years.
Approximately 70 million Hindu pilgrims traveled from all over India
and the world to participate in the ritual spiritual cleansing in the
holy waters of the rivers on specifically auspicious days and times
during the six weeks of the festival.
For the event, the Indian government created a temporary "tent
city" in the dry bed of the Ganga River, complete with streets,
water systems, electricity, telephone and internet connections. All
would be completely dismantled before the spring floods washed the
area in 20 feet of water, cleansing the holy site and beginning the
cycle anew.
ALLEGIANCE BY STEVE SIMON
ABOVE AND BELOW THE PAVEMENT BY SERGE J-F
LEVY
SOHO BLUES BY ALLAN TANNENBAUM
THE
FEDERATION OF BLACK COWBOYS BY TOBIN RUSSELL
AFGHANISTAN 2001 BY TEUN VOETEN
FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS
BY OISTIN
MAC BRIDE
THE EGYPT PROJECT BY DAVID KATZENSTEIN
MYANMAR BY JOEL RUBIN
INDIA AND THE MAHA KUMBH
MELA BY MIKE TAUBER
AFGHANISTAN BY REZA
DEGHATI
For further
information on these exhibits, please contact exhibits@thehalfking.com.
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