The Kumbh Mela

Thank you for looking at a gentle man who is much revered in the Indian

community as a holy man.

Excellent work.

Thank you Birte.  I appreciate the comment.

Beautiful photograph and for me, also very educational.

Quite a remarkable image.  Makes me wonder about his life.

Admirative...

This is an unusual image.  I was a little uncomfortable looking at it first time but, nonetheless, made me look again.. and again, until I was comfortable to come back and critique.

I wish this man well.

The eye and the hand are absolutely haunting, because they remind us of the underlying humanity of the subject. Looking at this defies a million years of evolution; not looking defies ten thousand years of civilization. This image seems to define a culture and a value system. I am not always a great admirer of India--I recall General Napier's words from time to time--but there is a profundity here that is hard to escape or demean.

This man has the most beautiful soul and was a disciple of a very famous baba (holy man).  The baba blessed my friend and I , read us the mantra, and pronounced us all brothers and sisters.  So the man you see above became my brother in spirit, and I am honored to be linked to him.

i never seen anything like this! What is this?! anyway this is a wonderful!!!! i like it a lot! comgrats... Adham. :O

I am not a doctor, but I play one on the Internet. This looks like a very severe case of elephantiasis (filiariasis). It is usually caused by parasitic worms which invade the lymphatic system. Among these are the hideous Wuchereria bancrofti which I remember all too well from a class on parasitology. The disease itself is treatable, but the damage cannot be recovered.

Les---He told us he was born this way.  I believe you're right about the elephantiasis.  Someone else, who is a physician mentioned that as well. 

And you captures it so well. 7/7 ME B

Extraordinary capture!Have you seen the movie Elephant Man?Maybe this man is affected by the Proteus' Syndrome!

Such people tend to be regarded as lower forms of life in Western civilization.  I'm glad to learn that it's not the case worldwide.