Panchvati

Ramkund

Ghat

Brass band shop.

Free meals for devotees.

Varan bhat, sabzi roti, chapati 

Family serving thali.

Ardhanarishwar temple.

-Brian Mendonca 

A pilgrim

stretches the stump

of his hand

over the Ramkund

as a lone lad swims

at the other end.

A young couple

discussing their future 

sit side by side

dipping their feet

in the dark waters.

The devout hurry

from one deity

to the next.

Ardhanarishwara

Holy city

One of the four Kumbhs

North bank of the Godavari 

a moment of the infinite.

Search for your soul 

as the river flows East.

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Photo shoot this afternoon at the holy city of Panchvati, Nashik in Maharashtra. Panchvati lies on the left bank of the Godavari river. Lord Ram, Sita, and Lakshmana are believed to have spent part of their 14 years of exile here. 

Nashik is one of the four sites of the Kumbh Mela. The others are Haridwar, Ujjain, and Allahabad. A poem of mine titled 'Hari-dwar' (1999) was published by the Sahitya Akademi (2004) and anthologized by Penguin in 2025. 

This year the Kumbh returns to Nashik in October after 12 years. Updated 16/5/26.