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.