Pilgrimage and Ritual Practices

Images of various religious rituals in India, featuring sadhus, pilgrims, and worshippers engaging in ceremonies along rivers and festivals.

praying to Mother Ganges prior to the Arti at Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India

Lahore, Pakistan - 24 December 2025: View of a warming fire surrounded by devotees, the flickering flames casting a golden glow on the gathering.

Asia, Bhutan, Punakha, Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten (1999), pilgrim walking around prayer wheels

Asia, India, Wedding ceremony drummers and musicians play in front of the Ram Raja Mandir, or temple.

Mahatma Gandhi at evening prayer, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Asia, May 1944 India Copyright: xJayanxMitra/DinodiaxPhotox -

Pilgrims during the Hindu Thaipusam Festival at Sri Subramaniyar Swami Temple, the seated kavadi carrier is in a trance with a needle through his tong...

Snake Charmer Copyright: xBrijeshxSharma/DinodiaxPhotox

UJJAIN, INDIA - APRIL 23, 2011: Brahmin performing Aarti pooja ceremony on bank of holy river Kshipra. Aarti is Hindu religious ritual of worship, part of puja when light is offered to one or more deities

Priest of the Jejuri temple before the aarti of the lord Khandoba in the temple complex, pune, Maharashtra, India Copyright: xManoejxPaateel/DinodiaxPhotox

Bhokots (monks), performing the Sattriya Nritya, monastery dance of Not Releasedayer, Majuli Island, Assam, India, Asia

Nepal, Kathmandu, A priest setting up an offering early morning at the Pashupatinath Temple on the banks of the Bagmati River one of the largest Hindu temples in the world

Villagers or pilgrims on the ghats at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India Copyright: xAkellaxSrinivas/DinodiaxPhotox

Hehabhagwant Vishnu temple, Barshi, Solapur, Maharashtra, India, Asia Copyright: xAnilxDave/DinodiaxPhotox

A priest under the traditional umbrella near the Ganga ghat. Benaras is considered as the cultural capital of the oldest and holiest cities in India and home to the most famous ghats (150 steps leading down to the river) in the country. Huge crowds of pilgrims and visitors from all parts of the world gather to take part in this ancient ritual which involves making offerings (puja) to the rising sun. Benaras has been a traditional center of learning of philosophy, Sanskrit, astrology and religion. Benaras, Uttar Pradesh, India.

India, Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi, Ganges River. Arti is a Hindu ritual, part of a puja, in which light from a flame is ritually waved for the veneration of deities. People prepare small candles to float out on the river. (Editorial Use Only)

An elder of the Karo tribe rests with his head on his wooden head-rest which protects his elaborate clay hairdo. Every man carries a headrest which doubles as a stool.

A temple priest washes the Hanuman idol early in the morning while the band masters wait for the procession start at Tulsi Baug Mandir in Poona Maharashtra India Copyright: xFawzanxHusain/DinodiaxPhotox

Lalibelas rock_hewn churches are arguably Ethiopias top attraction, Bet Medhane Alem Saviour of the World is the largest rock_hewn church in the world...

Monk at work cooking, Luang Prabang, Laos, Asia

celebration of vat pournima festival, india Copyright: xRajeshxVora/DinodiaxPhotox

Boys broke hundi on Janmashtami festival, Bombay Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Copyright: xVinayxParelkar/DinodiaxPhotox

Wat Chedi Luang Waraviharn Temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand, SE Asia

TIRUCHIRAPALLI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 14, 2013: Unidentified Indian brahmin (traditional Hindu society) priest standing in gateway of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Drawing of Hindu deity on a wall, Hill Forts of Rajasthan in Jaisalmer, India.

Sadhu with umbrella outside small temple, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

tulsi puja, pune, maharashtra, india Copyright: xSunilxKapadia/DinodiaxPhotox

people making Ravana statue on Dussera dusera Festival Copyright: xBrijeshxSharma/DinodiaxPhotox

Mewad wall painting at Shilpgram, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India Copyright: xNxSharma/DinodiaxPhotox

Kumbh Mela 2025: The Sacred Goes Viral. The Naga Sadhus: Guardians of the Kumbh Mela. At the Maha Kumbh Mela, the Naga Sadhus stand as powerful symbols of asceticism and strength. With their distinctive appearance, clad in nothing but ash, with dreadlocked hair and intense spiritual focus, they greet pilgrims with both grace and authority. As the faithful approach, offering their donations, the Naga Sadhus accept them not for material gain but as a reminder of the sacred cycle of giving. These ascetics, who have renounced all worldly attachments, embody the spirit of selflessness and spiritual devotion, welcoming the pilgrims in their journey to purification and enlightenment.

Devotees lighting candles at sunset in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic Temple of the Tooth, site of Buddhist pilgrimage, Kandy, Sri Lanka, Asia

Kano, Nigeria - 19 March 2026: View of a musician in traditional attire playing a long horn instrument against a backdrop of simple buildings and a clear sky.

TIRUVANAMALLAI, INDIA, JANUARY 7, 2010: Sadhu, religious ascetic or holy person, sleeping in Hindu temple Arunachaleswar. Tiruvanamallai, Tamil Nadu, India, Asia

Urnas de plata"Gangajalis".Artesania en plata mas grande del mundo. Jaipur. Rajastan. India.

CULTO AL DIOS GANESA HIJO DE SHIVA. Location: EXTERIOR. Nación. India.

Devotee drinking from the milk bowls with the rats. Karni Mata Temple. Deshnoke Rajasthan, INDIA (THE RAT TEMPLE).

A Local man conduct his ablutions in the Karna Sagar lake overlooked by the impressive outline of the 17th-century Narsingh Dev Palace (aka Govind Mandir), widely regarded as one of India's finest domestic buildings.

Devotee worshipping Vel on hilltop at Tirutani, Tamil Nadu, India Copyright: xMxAmirtham/DinodiaxPhotox

people celebrating Ganesh ganpati Festival, mumbai bombay, maharashtra, india Copyright: xHarixMahidhar/DinodiaxPhotox

Nepal, Kathmandu Valley, Kirtipur, Bagh Bhairab, hindu temple,

Sadhu performing the sun worship suryanamaskar prayer in the Ganga river Banaras Uttar Pradesh India Copyright: xVirenxDesai/DinodiaxPhotox

Hurgada Mosque, Egypt, people leaving shoes on floor

Buddhist statues cut into a cliff face at Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka

Nepal: A woman sits outside the Royal Palace in Patan (Lalitpur), next to a red Hanuman statue and a statue of Kala Bhairav.

Worshippers praying in the Hindu temple Ubud, Indonesia, Bali, Ubud, Asia

Asia, India, Jaiselmer. Two women in cenotaphs in Bada Bagh. MR.

Hindu devotees taking part in a religious festival near Alappuzha, Kerala, India.

Dreaming , India

Wedding of a couple from Europe in India. A light skinned man in a traditional Indian men. white skin. Bride in beautiful sari with mehendi. Caucasian marriage. International couple.Lovely couple fit Wedding of a couple from Europe in India. A light skinned man in a traditional Indian men. white skin. Bride in beautiful sari with mehendi. Caucasian marriage . High quality photo Copyright: xZoonar.com/AntonxYulikovx 19965499

Sculptor filing bronze icon Copyright: xMxAmirtham/DinodiaxPhotox

Insertion of hooks on the body of a man for hanging from a spinning wheel attached with 'Charhak tree' on the occasion of Charak Puja. The Charak Puja is well-known for the rites of piercing the body with nails, and swirling from a high pole. Tripura, India.

Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Covering a total land area of 262,820 hectares, the province of Ifugao is located in a mountainous region characterized by rugged terrain, river valleys, and massive forests. Its capital is Lagawe and borders Benguet to the west, Mountain Province to the north, Isabela to the east, and Nueva Vizcaya to the south. The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras and Banaue Rice Terraces are the main tourist attractions in the province. These 2000-year-old terraces were carved into the mountains, without the aid of machinery, to provide level steps where the native Ifugao people can plant rice. In 1995, they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ifugao culture revolves around rice, which is considered a prestige crop. There is an elaborate and complex array of rice culture feasts inextricably linked with taboos and intricate agricultural rites, from rice cultivation to rice consumpti

A cloth-bag printed with Holy names of the Lord. Pind Daan is a Hindu service in which a religious service is performed for the dead ancestors. The occasion is fortnight-long and places like Gaya (Bihar state) are thronged by people during this time. Pind means Round balls of rice and flour which are offered, along with the sacred kusha grass and flowers, amidst sprinkling of water and chanting of mantras from the Sam Veda. People visit the place in numbers as Gaya is believed to be the holiest place for this ritual. Gaya, Bihar, India.

Shaman Performs Cleansing Ceremony In Pac-Chen Mayan Community. Mexico

Mahatma Gandhi at evening prayer meeting at Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Asia, May 1944 India Copyright: xJayanxMitra/DinodiaxPhotox -

A young Buddhist monk dives into the ocean off the rocks of Galle, Sri Lanka.

Mahatma Gandhi walking with Manu Gandhi, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Bihar, India, Asia, March 1947 India Copyright: xJayanxMitra/DinodiaxPhotox -

Sadhu and holy cow

India - Uttar Pradesh - Varanasi. Ritual ablutions in river Ganges

Sadhu's alms

MYANMAR(BURMA), PAGAN, VILLAGE SCENE, LACQUERWARE FACTORY, BUDDHA STATUE

Man, Ngo Ramkrishna Sarada Math And Missan, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, India Copyright: xDinodiaxPhotox

Woman doing yoga, Dhara Dhevi, Thailand

Portrait of senior man performing pooja of Hindu God at home

Indonesia, Sulawesi, Tana Toraja region. Tau tau, effigies of departed nobles, guard cave tombs at Marante village.

A Sikh-spicemerchant, spice-bazaar, Old Delhi, India, Southasia, Asia

Well at la Benite Fontaine sanctuary, La Roche_sur_Foron, Haute Savoie, France, Europe

Thaliyakulam in Palayur Palayoor Where St. Thomas Initially Baptized His First Christian Converts, Kerala, South India, India, Asia

Asia, India, Bangalore. Poor girls at a Christian school during a mid day meal.

Cambodia, Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, Traditional Khmer Flautist Accompanying Shaman Ceremony

NAKHONNAYOK THAILAND - NOVEMBER 25 : Loy Krathong festival. Unidentified women dressed in traditional candle lighting ceremony to worship. on November 25, 2015 in Nakhonnayok, Thailand.

Ethiopia: Lalibela, Coptic Christian monks outside church chanting with young drummers on locally made brown, black and white carpet (Editorial Usage Only)

Man doing namaste, ekambaranath temple, kanchipuram, tamil nadu, india Copyright: xAnilxDave/DinodiaxPhotox

Hindu saint child naga baba, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India Copyright: xArunxMishra/DinodiaxPhotox

A pemangku, or lay priest chanting. Bali, Indonesia.

A Muslim man wearing a traditional kanzu long tunic and kofia cap walks past the Azania Front Cathedral in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Chariot festival Palakad Palakkad Kerala India Copyright: xKrishnadasxMenon/DinodiaxPhotox

Pope Benedict's visit to Benin poster Ouidah. Benin.

Hindu Woman in Mourning, Public Beach, Belle Mare, East Coast, Mauritius

Asia, India, Calcutta. A clay sculptor from the potter's village of Kumartuli in Calcutta.

Indian workers in color saris, Amber Fort, Jaipur, India

Sadhu Performing Ritual, Rear View, Ganges River, Vanarasi, India

Priest pouring hot milk ritual, Karaha Pujan, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India India Copyright: xAkellaxSrinivas/DinodiaxPhotox

Preparation of Diwali Festival In India

Jaipur, Observatory Jantar Mantar. Two men in Jai Prakash Yantra (one of two hemispherical bowl sundial with marked marble plates)

Pilgrim performing his puja in the Ganges; Varanasi, India

Hindu Prosternating On The Goverdan Parikrama Pilgrimage Trail. Govardana Parikrama Circumambulation Ñ Going 21 Kilometres (13 Miles) Around The Hill Is A Sacred Ritual Performed By Many Believers As Spiritual Purification. The Dandavata (Full Pr ...

Dying Saris Out To Dry Jodhpur Rajasthan India

Images of God and religious symbols painted on a compound wall of a residential building ensures that it remains clean, Mumbai Bombay, Maharashtra, India Copyright: xRajeshxVora/DinodiaxPhotox

England, Religion, Hindu, Daughter Placing Red Mark On The Forehead Of Her Father During Hindu Sacred Thread Ceremony.

Kathakali, Intricate make up requires help in Kerala Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthy near Soranur, Kerala, South India, India, Asia

Kathakali, Intricate make up requires help, Kerala, India, Asia

Devotee with body pierced with skewers, Thaipusam Hindu Tamil festival celebrated in Little India, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sikhs protesting for dera saccha sauda at Mulund Bombay Mumbai Maharashtra India Copyright: xAkellaxSrinivas/DinodiaxPhotox

Thailand, Bangkok, Novice Monk Having Water Poured Over Newly Shaved Head During Ordination Ceremony.

Indian Hindu Sadhu (saint) in boat on River Ganges in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Sri Lanka, Kataragama, dagoba sweeper,

During the HINDU festival of TEEJ or Women's Day Nepali women dress in their wedding SARIS & wash at PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE COMPLEX - KATHAMANDU, NEPAL

Aerial view of old man in dhoti kurta and Gandhi topi Copyright: xNitinxKelvalkar/DinodiaxPhotox

|IND, India, Kerala, Trivandrum : Malabar coast, south of Trivandrum, teenager at the beach. Jesus statue at the beach, near a little pilgrimage chapel. |, Asia

Holla Mohalla festival, Amristar, India

Coba, Mexico. Mayan Medicine man performs a cleansing ritual. (Editorial Use Only)

of 3