Musicians, Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, South America

Morgenstraich (morning parade), Fasnact spring carnival, Lucerne, Switzerland, Europe

The hsaing waing, a traditional Burmese folk musical ensemble, Festival of Ko Myo Shin, one of the most important nats (spirits) of the national pantheon, Pyin U Lwin (Maymyo), Mandalay Division, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma), Asia

The hsaing waing, a traditional Burmese folk musical ensemble, Pyin U Lwin (Maymyo), Mandalay Division, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma), Asia

A cymbal bubble snail (Haminoea cymbalum), Fiji, South Pacific, Pacific

Garlanded men with cymbals in religious procession going to the temple at Holi festival, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, Asia

Phuoc Long Buddhist pagoda, musicians playing for the Vesak ceremony, Tan Chau, Vietnam

A Lion Dance practice in Peng Chau, Hong Kong, China

Hindu musicians singing ragas and playing ten scale Indian harmonium keyboard, tabla, pipe and hand cymbals, West Bengal, India, Asia

Monk musicians in ceremonial costume playing Bhutanese cymbals and drums at Paro Tsechu (annual monastery festival), Paro, Bhutan, Asia

Village musicians, instruments made from metal bowl and terracotta water pot, pipe and cymbals, Bhirindiara, Kachchh, Gujarat, India, Asia

Joranda monk at dusk, wearing orange cloth, sounding a cymbal as preparation for ritual evening prayer, Joranda, Orissa, India, Asia

Shaman in altered state of consciousness with Shamanic drummer and cymbal, performing problem-solving ritual in Hindu temple, Kurkuri, Odisha, India, Asia

Traditional Turkish musician, Istanbul, Turkey, Europeboosted reds with curves, softened red shadows

Musicians playing at Anata Andina harvest festival, Carnival, Oruro, Bolivia, South America

Child musicians at Odalan ceremony, temple of Bataun, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sacred texts, horns Cignil (cymbals) and yeti scalp, Namche monastery, Namche Bazaar, Nepal, Asia

Gaura Purnima celebration at ISKCON Paris, France, Europe

Devotee singing and playing cymbals, Chariot Festival, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Buddhist ceremony, Swayambhunath temple, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal

Monk beating traditional drum called gong, int he courtyard of chiwang monastery during mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Hindu scripture with cymbals, Bhaktapur, Nepal

A Pilgrim reads his Hindu scripture. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Cymbal player, gilded lead sculpture, Orangerie parterre, Schloss Weilburg Castle, Weilburg an der Lahn, Hesse, Germany, Europe

Cymbal player, gilded lead sculpture, Orangerie parterre, Schloss Weilburg Castle, Weilburg an der Lahn, Hesse, Germany, Europe

A man with cymbals at a temple festival, Mongar District, Himalayas, Kingdom of Bhutan

Cymbals with paint, dyeing, tannery Tannerie Chouara, tanner and dyer quarter, Fes el Bali, Fes, Kingdom of Morocco, Africa

Imaginative costumes at the carnival, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Europe

Brazilian samba performance with musician playing tambourine in the streets of Pelourinho, city of Salvador, Bahia, Brasil

Cymbals with paint, dyeing, tannery Tannerie Chouara, tanner and dyer quarter, Fes el Bali, Fes, Kingdom of Morocco, Africa

Mid section view of a person playing cymbals, Bali, Indonesia

Sang Sang Rimpoche initiates Mani Rimdu festival at Chiwang Monastery.Solu Khumbu, Nepal.

Man adjusting drum set in music studio