India’s masquerade for the gods

Each fall in Kulasekarapattinam, a metamorphosis from human to divine takes hold. Millions converge on the coastal town in South India to celebrate the 10-day Hindu festival of Navratri – a vibrant embodiment of the triumph of good over evil. Streets suddenly burgeon with gods, demons, spirits and animals. Colors collide, prophecies are dispelled, fangs are painted, masks are donned. The beach becomes a private Mount Olympus filled with talismans, shrines, myths and magic. Photographer Yannick Cormier has been on scene the past three years to capture the pulse of the divine commemoration. A Paris native, Cormier was sent to India over a decade ago for work. When he arrived, he received more than just culture shock. “For me, it was a real thunderbolt. I received a shock both visually and emotionally. Within a half-hour, I knew that I had reached ‘home’,” he said.

Read more at: http://cnnphotos.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/09/masquerade/

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