I. PANDHARPUR FAIR - 'Ashadi Ekadashi' Festival in Pandharpur. Pictures of floods, the highest recorded during the past twelve years, due to the overflowing of the Chandrabhaga River at the time of the fair.

I. PANDHARPUR FAIR - The maxim 'Travel only when you must' occasionally relaxes itself, as it did this year in the case of pilgrims on heir way to Pandharpur on the occasion of 'Ashadi Ekadashi'. Groups of pilgrims, mainly peasants, came from long distances on foot, carrying their village deities in palanquins - an age-old custom to offer their prayers to Lord Vishnu, known as Vithoba in this part. Pilgrims from adjoining districts came by boats. This year there was an overflowing of the sacred river Chandrabhaga, on the banks of which the small town of Pandharpur is situated. This is the Temple of Pundalik. Flood waters reached the highest recorded level during the past twelve years. Parts of the town were submerged under water, which caused great inconvenience; but it did not deter the pilgrims from visiting the temple of Vithoba. It is said that on this date, years ago, Saint Pundalik, who was meditating in this place, had a vision of Lord Vishnu and since that date devotees of Vithoba celebrate the day by fasts, a dip in the sacred waters of Chandrabhaga and by offerings in his temple. The Temple of Vithoba. The crowd was such that pilgrims had to wait for hours inside the yard before they could get a chance to enter the temple and present their offerings to the Lord. The ceremony extends over seven days and on the last day, the idol of Vithoba is placed in a chariot and taken in procession.

II. AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY IN KARACHI - High officials and men of the American fighting forces entertained by the Governor of Sind.

II. AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY IN KARACHI - In many parts of India, wherever there were Americans on our soil, they celebrated the 4th of July, the day of American Independence. It was on this date in 1776 that the famous Declaration of Independence, couched in the majestic prose of Jefferson, was signed and sealed in Philadelphia. These pictures were taken in Karachi when the Governor of Sind, Sir Hugh Dow, entertained Americans to tea at Government House. Among those present was the premier of Sind, Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah.

III. BANGALORE WAR SERVICES EXHIBITION - Opened by His Highness The Maharaja of Mysore. Interesting exhibits included a musical ride and charge by the Mysore Lancers and battle manoeuvres by tanks, guns and infantry.

III. BANGALORE WAR SERVICES EXHIBITION - His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore opened the Third War Services Exhibition at Bangalore. Arriving in state, and accompanied by the Resident, the Honourable Colonel Fraser, High Highness was escorted by the Mysore Lancers, and on alighting at the Race Course, where the exhibition was held, inspected a guard of honour formed by Madras Sappers and miners. The distinguished gathering included General Sir [Noel] Beresford-Peirse, General Bruce, the Dewan of Mysore and high state officials. Features of the Bangalore Exhibition were a musical ride and charge by Mysore Lancers; battle manoeuvres by tanks, guns and infantry; bridge-building by Indian Engineers; and the first public display of an aeroplane completely assembled in India; also the other now familiar features, and the large crowds showed the keenest interest in all these items.

IV. RATHA JATRA, PURI - Pictures of this year's Ratha Jatra Festival.

IV. RATHA JATRA, PURI - Jagannath's Temple, Puri, one of the most picturesque pieces of Indian architecture. It is also one of the leading places of pilgrimage which attracts pilgrims from all over India during the week of the celebrated Car Festival. Sleeping under trees, singing bhajans to while away the long hours of waiting, despite war time restrictions of railway traffic, long before the second day of the Moon in Ashad, pilgrims in hundreds and thousands came for the Ratha Jatra. The Ratha Jatra is itself a huge affair. It is said that in the Golden age on this particular day god Jagannath with his brother Balaram and sister Subhadra paid a visit to his Aunt's house at Gundicha Bari. As an anniversary of this visit the three deities are carried in state from the temples in three separate chariots in procession to the temple of Gundicha Bari where they stay for one whole week. The same huge crowd follows them on their return journey. Though Jagannath the presiding deity of the temple is another name for Lord Vishnu, some scholars believe that the temple is a relic of Buddhism for it remains to this day some of the distinctive features of that religion. Peculiar as it sounds in Jagannath's temple rules of caste are not observed. The Brahmins eat cooked food from the hands of the people of lower caste. Ratha Jatra is celebrated in many others centres in India, but nowhere on such a large scale.

Notes

Summary (item I): the Chandrabhaga at Pandharpur is also known as the Bhima River.