Ganesh festivities 2015 (by kerouac2)

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I know it's the same people wearing the same clothes or costumes every year, but I am addicted to this event and feel an imperious urge to continue to document it. This was the 20th edition in Paris, and this year it was at the end of August instead of at the beginning of September. I don't know how the exact date is chosen, other than it being on Sunday.

This was a new mask this year. I wonder why it took so long, since the necessity of it is so obvious.







One day I will need to look up the reason why milk must flow down the bodies of what I call the "Mexican hat dancers."

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All of the balloons are provided by competing mobile phone companies.

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Broken coconuts continue to symbolise the mortality of the world.



The municipal workers follow the parade to clean everything up immediately.







In the world of my youth, when you had family across the world, you waited at least 2 weeks for each letter. Now you can watch all of the same television channels, so who cares?



No, the Monoprix did not have an altar, but somebody used the space as their own.

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I traditionally end my viewing back up in my apartment.







As usual, there is also a video.

[htmb]

It looks like loads of fun. I really like all your great shots of people.

I'm still trying to figure out what the Minnie Mouse and Minion balloons had to do with anything.

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I would be more interested in a sociological study of the children who choose Minion balloons -- which ones want one with two eyes and which ones want one with just one eye?

[bixaorellana]

Yaaay ~ the marigolded masses are out in force again & you were out there with them recording it for us!

There are certain festivals that are so culturally rich &/or so much fun that they beg to be viewed and captured each time. Also, every time one of these rolls around in our respective areas, each of us is (theoretically) a better photographer than the year before, right?

Anyway, I am totally tickled to see this year's report and you really show some killer pictures. Love all the papier mache stuff, the excellent profile pic of the milky guy, the two photos in a row of beauties picked out of the crowd, the absolutely stellar one of the two girls in fuchsia dresses with those priceless expressions, the overhead balloons, the woman in profile with her arm coming up out of the smoke, and the way all the pictures capture the verve and enthusiasm of the event.

HOW did you get the music to match up so perfectly?! It's brilliant -- the whole video is brilliant.

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It's a great video - I wish we had such a celebration in Vancouver. (I love Ganesha, he's the god of performers) However, the Hindu population is much outnumbered by Sikhs, so we have a whole different set of celebrations. Unfortunately, they're usually out in the suburbs where the mass of Indo-Canadians live now, not in the city centre as in Paris.

[mich64]

Well I am glad you continue to cover it. If not always seeing something new, your photographs are from different angles of participants and show so many families, young and old, come together each year. The photos near the end show the volume of spectators feeling comfortable and wanting to be a part of it all by walking amongst them.

[questa]

I can only repeat what Bixa has written...splendid coverage of the event.

The close ups of the people in the crowds are marvellous and the video is full of swirling colours as the crowd flows like a river up to and around the corner.

You take such insightful pictures...I could almost smell the incense.

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Thanks.

Some of the commerical efforts are nipped in the bud. For example, at 7 a.m. there was this in front of my building. By 9 a.m. it had all disappeared without a trace because the police came by and told them to get the hell out.

[nycgirl]

I enjoy your reports on this event every year. I hope I can see it myself one day. You captured some beautiful portraits and the video is very well done. Love the shots from your apartment window.

I'm glad the corporate vultures were shooed away. What an unwelcome intrusion.

[fumobici]

Lovely little video.

[kerouac2]

Well, here's a new video for 2018.

[Bubba10]

Wow! The twisting tower hats and burning hats!!!!
Thanks for sharing this!

[bixaorellana]

I thought I'd commented on the video, but no. This procession is ever amazing. Do you think it draws more people every year, Kerouac?

Does anyone know what it is that people are dropping onto the fire hats towards the end of the video? It's something oval & white & you can see that some hats have several setting on them. Is it maybe an offering, or perhaps something to keep them aflame?

[kerouac2]

I think the size of the crowd has now stabilised over the years -- there are only a certain number of Hindu worshippers in the region, and the Parisians who enjoy joining the festivities seem to have reached their zenith. I think that many more people would come, but frankly there is almost no publicity about the event. That is perhaps a good thing.

I think that it is camphor that is being added to the flames. (The odour cannot be transmitted by the video.)