Maramadi – The Famous Bull Race of Kerala

The most famous traditional game involving bulls is Spanish bullfighting, but the people of Kerala, India, have come up with a way celebration that doesn’t involve torturing and killing poor animals. It’s called Maramadi, and it’s held every year, in the post-harvest season.Maramadi is essentially a bull racing event, only instead of a track, it takes place in flooded rice fields, which makes it infinitely more entertaining for the crowds watching from the sidelines.

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The Running of the Bulls 2012

Every year, the Festival of San Fermin attracts thousands of visitors to Pamplona, Spain. Lasting nine days, the festival kicks off with massive crowds at the Chupinazo in Pamplona town square, followed by a carnival, fireworks, many bullfights, and of course, the encierro, or "running of the bulls." Held since 1591, San Fermin remains a popular, if also dangerous and controversial, event: Several people have been injured already this year, and the festival continues until July 14. Collected here are some scenes from the first days of this year's Festival of San Fermin. 

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El Colacho Festival 2012

A man representing the devil leaps over babies during the festival of El Colacho on June 10, 2012 in Castrillo de Murcia near Burgos, Spain. The festival, held on the first Sunday after Corpus Cristi, represents the devil taking away original sin from the newly born babies by leaping over them. The annual ritual which dates back to the 1600s requires a man to dress as the devil and jump over babies. This ritual is believed to cleanse the babies of evil spirit and carry them on the path to a good life.

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Merciless Battles Of Cholitas

Merciless Battles Of Cholitas

Cholitas is an ancient form of martial arts, popular among the Indians of Bolivia. Men, women and even children from the communities that compete with each other can perticipate in the battles. The result is unpredictable and the battle may even result in death. But now in some parts of Bolivia, this is nothing more than an analogue of wrestling, aimed at entertainment of tourists

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Mustang: Nepal’s former Kingdom of Lo

Photographer Taylor Weidman was given special permission by the government of Nepal to travel in the restricted area of Mustang. He writes, "Mustang, or the former Kingdom of Lo, is hidden in the rain shadow of the Himalaya in one of the most remote corners of Nepal. Hemmed in by the world's highest mountain range to the south and an occupied and shuttered Tibet to the north, this tiny Tibetan kingdom has remained virtually unchanged since the 15th century. Today, Mustang is arguably the best-preserved example of traditional Tibetan life in the world. But it is poised for change. A new highway will connect the region to Kathmandu and China for the first time, ushering in a new age of modernity and altering Mustang's desert-mountain villages forever." Collected here is a selection of Weidman's work from his book "Mustang: Lives and Landscapes of the Lost Tibetan Kingdom," proceeds from which support Weidman's Vanishing Cultures Project.

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Rio Carnival

Rio Carnival

With a burst of fireworks and a thumping drum beat, Carnival festivities in kicked off in Rio de Janeiro. As millions watched the sequin-clad samba dancers at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Carnival parade. The Carnival parade has been attracting top celebrities for much of its 80 years. Many are brought in by attention-hungry Brazilian advertisers hoping to share some of the glow of the world's biggest party.

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