Red. Allanganallur

Traditionnal dancer for the pongal festival in a small village.

Shelter. Allanganalur.

Walking. Allanganalur.

Not interested by the race...

Space. Allanganalur

Pongal day, everybody is well dressed, the bull's race is over now...

Bull's catching II. Allanganalur

Bull's catching. Allanganalur.

Night. Madurai

A grocer in front of his shop...it is late.

Shyness. Allanganalur.

Women.Allanganalur

All the men are at the bull's race, the village is a "city of women" .

Colours. Allanganalur

Colours for sale, in this Pongal day, will be used for the bull's decoration.

Pearls. Allanganalur.

During the race, after amoment I rather liked to walk in the village...this little girl fights her unquiet feeling by taking her collar in the mouth and holding the father's hands on her shoulders.
A visit like mine is so unusual...but a moment after, the collar is not necessary and then the father's hands; just let the time make the things...

The champion. Allanganalur.

Men in the village drive me to this one: it's a champion, I have to see him...

Before the race. Allanganalur.

Waiting, they will enter in the race area, one by one.

Smile. Madurai

She is the little girl on the previous photo, she came to me, very curious and searching for connection, a nice little girl...

Kollams. Madurai

Kollams everywhere in this area of Madurai, for Pongal.
Vishnu will go out of his temple, as he does once a year, and will pass by here; everybody is waiting...

Northern gopuram. Madurai

Pilgrims having a chat at the entrance of the temple, while an old woman is waiting, hoping to recuperate some pieces of coconuts that pilgrim break here, as a ritual.

The red rope. Allanganalur

The bull. Allanganalur

Before the race, one of the decorated bulls.

The women are all together in the shade, after everyone will have a lunch, and after the race ...

Faces. Allanganalur

Pongal day, joyfull...

Seps. Allanganalur

Pongal day, joy in the village....

Women. Madurai

Devotion for Hanuman...

Holy fires. Madurai

Sticks. madurai

I met her in a small street of Madurai...

Blue. Madurai

A morning ray of light in the temple.

Fatherhood. Madurai

Father and daughter do the pilgrimage; dressed in black and with the Shiva's collar.

Mutton's dinner time.

It's Ait-kebir day, we are in the muslim area in Madurai. Tonight the males will fight, each one is at the gate of the house, some with painted horns.

Red.

Could be an element of an egyptian fresque; in the market of madurai

Blue.

Funny trio, playing in the muslim area of Madurai.

Temple's kids.

Temple, yes, but also a nice place to play...

Fresque.

A small temple in a Madurai street.

Stone.

Problem with a little stone, need to stop and take it off.

Yellow.

Preparing herself some hours before, she will begg in front of the temple with the Shiva's trishull through her tongue; it's a rare moment: Vishnu will go out of his temple, as he does once a year.

Backs.

Looking at the lotus tank, in the Meenakshi temple.

amazed young devotee

Praying Ganesh with joyfulness, in the ghee lamp lights...

Veil.

Lamp.

Pilars.

Meenakshi temple, devotion and beauty are everywhere....

Old man.

Sitting in the street, spending time watching ...

Feet

Around the Ganesh shrine, dance of the feet...

Prayers

Subterranean mood, in the heart of Meenakshi temple

Saddhu

Sadhu, in the northern gate, a very distinguished man, full of dignity

After praying.

After praying Ganesh...

Veil.

Pilgrim from North India...

Plumpkins. Madurai

Colonial houses. Madurai

Close to the market, old colonial houses....

Pink. Madurai

Directly in the steet ironing...

Feet. Madurai

Ganesh shrine, Meenakshi temple...

Vishnu devotees. Madurai

Canalised by the bambu's fences, the devotees begin to come to the temple...

Bamboo fence. Madurai

Great week for the Vishnu temple, the god will go out of his shrine, as every year in January, so many devotees come here that bambu fences have been builded to canalise the crowd.

Children are playing here...

Water pipe. Madurai

Water comes only once a day...