Masi Magam Festival, Pondicherry, India

Can you see then oxen pulling the float (maybe their horns?). Lots of people playing drums and horns walking with the procession.

"The Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry is celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Masi, corresponding to the months of February - March by the Gregorian calendar. The focus of the festival lies on the bathing of the deities in the waters of `theerthavari' or Bay of Bengal. Idols from as many as 64 temples are brought in the early morning to the sea front near Kuruchikuppam in Pondicherry and given a ceremonial bath through various rituals. The auspicious Nadhaswaram, which is a non- brass acoustic instrument of South India, blows loud as an accompaniment to the colorful processions that take out the deities.

The devotees who flock with the processions, take dips on the holy water of the sea with the faith that the immersion would actually wash away the sins. The whole of the sea shore in the Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry becomes a fair ground full of fun and festivity. It is mostly celebrated by the fishermen community of Pondicherry. Deities like Lord Sivasubramania, Swami Sri Sivasubramania Swami, Sri Aranganatha Swami and Sri Poyyamozhi Vinayakar from important temples attract most of the attention in the Masi Magam Festival in Pondicherry."

-from 'www.mapsofindia.com'

More from Mamallapuram, India

Colorful fishing boats and fishing nets pulled in for the day. Seaside restuarants behind the boats display the fresh catch at room temperature on tables for customers walking by to see.

Apparently cows like the beach too.

Mamallapuram, India

After landing and spending two nights in Chennai, India, I hired a driver to take me 1.5 hours south to the village Mamallapuram. I hadn't worked up the courage yet to take the bus as my lonely planet guidebook described the bus station in Chennai as 'insanely chaotic'. I like it here as it is more laid back with a population of 12,000 compared to Chennai's 6.6 million and I don't fear for my life when I cross the road. It is a beachy town with several temples to see. My favorite was the Shore Temple, which (according to lonely planet) was built in the 7th century by the Pallava kings, and was later rebuilt by Narasimhavarman II. I hadn't realized before arriving here that this area was hit hard by the 2004 tsunami (if I remember right the news seemed to focus on thailand), but you wouldn't know it as a visitor today.