“Pashupatinath Temple Burning Ghats” Photo Book Offers Rare Glimpse of Hindu Culture



Pashupatinath Temple Burning Ghats is a celebration of Impermanence, a core concept in Hinduism and Buddhism. Shot from a distance so as not to intrude on anyone's privacy, this 32 page photo essay chronicles a Hindu funeral ritual from a perspective of reverence.



Travel photographer Tammy Winand spent 16 months between November 2009 and October 2011 living in the Himalayan regions of north India and Nepal.



Her first book from this experience, Pashupatinath Temple Burning Ghats, provides an intimate glimpse into a foreign culture few westerners ever have the opportunity to experience.



In April 2011, during a whirlwind one day tour of greater Kathmandu, Nepal, Ms. Winand was taken by a friend to the Hindu holy shrine of Pashupatinath. While there, she had the rare chance to observe local funerary rites.



Shot from a distance on the opposite bank of a river so as not to intrude on anyone's privacy, the 32 images in this book chronicle one Hindu funeral ritual from start to finish. The images are intimate and speak of the core Hindu and Buddhist concepts of suffering and Impermanence.



Ms. Winand chose to self-publish her first book with Blurb. It is available in both softcover and hardcover editions, from $22.95 USD.



All images copyright 2011 by Tammy Winand.