Devotees with their tongue pierced with an iron rod take part in a religious procession to celebrate Shiva Gajan festival. Charak is a part of Shiva Gajan festival is observed specially by the schedule cast community like Bauri, Bagdi, Hari, Dom etc. The personal who participated in the festival become Shiva devotees called Sannyashi or Bhakta & respected by all. Hundreds of faithful devotees offer sacrifice & performed acts of devotion during the festival in the hopes of winning the favour of Hindu god Shiva & ensuring the fulfilment of their wishes & also to mark the end of the Bengali calen

---

Devotees with their tongue pierced with an iron rod take part in a religious procession to celebrate Shiva Gajan festival. Charak is a part of Shiva Gajan festival is observed specially by the schedule cast community like Bauri, Bagdi, Hari, Dom etc. The personal who participated in the festival become Shiva devotees called Sannyashi or Bhakta & respected by all. Hundreds of faithful devotees offer sacrifice & performed acts of devotion during the festival in the hopes of winning the favour of Hindu god Shiva & ensuring the fulfilment of their wishes & also to mark the end of the Bengali calendar year. The central theme of this Shiva Gajan festival is to achieve satisfaction through pain, devotion & sacrifice. (Photo by Subhashis Basu / Pacific Press)

---

Size: 5246px × 3670px
Photo credit: © PACIFIC PRESS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: batanal, bengal, celebration, charak, devotee, devotion, district, festival, gajan, hinduism, hooghly, india, pain, procession, religious, sacrifice, shiva, tongues, trident, west