Sankirtana - congregational singing of the holy names of god at Krishna Temple in Udupi, Karnataka

A gathering around an open space

People form a sequence of colours along the edge of the frame, separated from the foreground by an open area. Seated and standing figures create different levels. The composition makes community visible through a shared surrounding space as well as proximity.

The title identifies sankirtana, congregational devotional singing, at Udupi’s Krishna Temple. The temple and matha were founded by Madhvacharya in the thirteenth century. The photograph attends to the gathering, adding a lived practice to the architectural history.