Ceremonial elephant moves through crowd at Festival of Shivaratri in the streets of the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Lord Shiva and Parwati characters ride through crowd at Festival of Shivaratri in the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Lord Shiva and Parwati characters parade through crowd at Festival of Shivaratri in the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Ceremonial elephant moves through crowd at Festival of Shivaratri in the streets of the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Costume characters with flaming torches in crowd at Festival of Shivaratri in the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, India

Huge crowds for holy Festival of Shivaratri in the streets of the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Huge crowds for holy Festival of Shivaratri in the streets of the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Overhead view of crowd celebrating Paro Festival, Paro, Paro District, Bhutan

Godowlia Crossing ,downtown, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.