Luhar KATLA festival

Luhar Katla A photographic essay

by roy james shakespeare

Luhar Katla Luhar Katlar an anual muslim festival in the month of December. The streets are packed the sound of the drumming, so load the rhythm, so intense . The crowd heaves and pushes, female friends get groped by marauding muslim men and boys on the rampage. This is not to every ones taste. The narrow streets of Bundi a small town in the state of Rajasthan India is hot and there is an air of attitude in the crowd. This is a chance for local men and boys to show of their masculin pride fighting skills and prowess. While woman and children watch intently from the street edge. Scattered amongst them armed indian officials. Hand crafted paper floats are walked through the narrow streets. A long procession of organised drumming, sporadic displays of combat followed by indian style sweet shops on wheels. Men ride bycycles over children lying in the road . A teenage boy smashes fluorescent tubes on his chest. At the end of the night every one pushes the paper floats in to the water tank on the edge of town.