Blessing the new car..., a photo from Southern Islands, Central

Photographer's Note

I try to get in one full day a month to just go out and shoot random shots.

While out a couple months ago. I found myself around China Town in Singapore. Coincidentally, there is a very large Hindu temple pretty much right in the middle of China Town. I've been by this temple often, but I've never seen this ceremony before. I watched with interest as this Priest (called a Purohit in Hindi) made his way around the vehicle with this platter of offerings and incense.
Apparently it is quite common in India to have new acquisitions like cars and houses blessed by God.

Thanks to Avishek for the cultural info.

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Post Production: Cropping, levels

eleparc, Spoony, Rupes, judhi, jrj has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Darren (6823) 2004-10-09 4:19

Good shot here. Good in getting reasonably limited DOF and really nice colors. My only suggestion, is that I wish you had included a little more of the car and a little less of the space behind him. Good shot.

clodreno (0) 2004-10-09 4:53

an interesting puja going on. I saw this kind of ceremonial inBolivia, in copacabana, but there it was a caatholic priest giving the blessings to the cars..
Very strange to me..
Nice catch.

eleparc (24063) 2004-10-09 5:41

This priest seems well fed;-)) nice shot but it could be improved if you played on saturation, light and contrasts IMO;-) the BG seems a little bit overexposed to me.. interesting habbit anyway to bless cars;-)

Spoony (3539) 2004-10-09 5:47

I don´t believe! Is it really true? Interessant, no doubt... I like to learn this kind of diferent cultures. Thanks for sharing.
Spoony.

burdallet (0) 2004-10-09 10:42

... it's means the relation between a man hand his car is not natural ...
.. but in S'pore it's perhaps aloso due to the VERY high selling price ( due to the level of astronomic taxes ..300% ? ) so the car reach the status of very cheristed item ..

Rupes (913) 2004-10-09 16:52

Good shot with nice DOF and interesting note.
Well Done!

judhi (769) 2004-10-10 4:38

good story told by this picture

jrj (34843) 2004-10-13 4:49

Very interesting cerminy you captured here Dan. Really something to think about. Keeps me wonder if it will really work - and in what sense... most interesting

kaychambers (1198) 2004-10-26 10:18

One of your worst images in my opinion. If it wasn't for your good explanitory note, I'd estimate this being a Hindu chap crossing a road. Background OE a clear issue here. The note scores 5 points, the photo -4!

Regards,

Vic, Singapore.

nivaldo (15417) 2007-03-06 17:41

An interesting note... Each country, each custom, and we see and learn a lot about everyone !
A very good picture, colours, sharpness are all fine.
Congratulations,
Greetings from Recife-Brazil,
Nivaldo.