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Shiva Ratri festival, the night of Shiva.

Ghost like sadhu next to huge wheels of the chariot Ratha 300 to 400 year old wooden chariot used during the Shiva ratri festival

 

huge wheels of the chariot Ratha 300 to 400 year old wooden chariot used during the Shiva ratri festival

 

man with huge rope on the holy chariot, Ratta, preparing for the Shiva Ratri festival Gokarna Karnataka India

 

Brahmin performing puja, sacred holy seremony huge body and wheels of the chariot Ratha 300 to 400 year old wooden chariot used during the Shiva ratri festival

 

Chariot 1 - Chariot 2 - Chariot 3 - Chariot 4 - Chariot 5 - Chariot 6

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Each year a team of farmers build up the huge chariot which is used during the Shiva Ratri-festival.

During the four day festival the small town of Gokarna is visited by up to 20.000 pilgrims.

More than a hundred people are needed to pull the chariot with thick ropes while priests conduct religious ceremonies inside the chariot.

South Asian Women's Forum has published an interesting article about the Shiva Ratri festiva written by Anita Thakur.