Day of the Dead (known as Día de Muertos in Spanish) is celebrated in Mexico between October 31st and November 2nd. During this period, Mexicans remember and honor their deceased loved ones. I love this festival because it’s not a gloomy or morbid occasion, rather it is a festive and colorful holiday celebrating the lives of those who have passed on. Mexicans visit cemeteries, decorate the graves and spend time there, in the presence of their deceased friends and family members. They also make elaborately decorated altars (called ofrendas) in their homes to welcome the spirits.
The belief behind Day of the Dead practices is that spirits return to the world of the living for one day of the year to be with their families. It is said that the spirits of babies and children who have died (called “little angels”) arrive on October 31st at midnight, spend an entire day with their families, and then leave. Adults come the following day.
I love this festival because it gives us a positive feeling of life. In Mexican tradition, death occurs thrice. First, the physical death when our heart stops beating. Second, a symbolic death, when our bodies blend into the environment. The third and final death comes when we cease to exist in the memories of the living.
Text and Photography: Lopamudra Talukdar
The copyright of photographs published in this album are with the photographer.
Lopamudra, known as "Lopa" in the close group, is a documentary and street photographer from India. She is also an educator and world traveller. She likes to think of herself as a traveller and student of world culture first. Whether it’s understanding the vanishing cultures of the world, documenting nomadic tribes and their lifestyle, chronicling the ancient rituals of religion and faith, or simply capturing candid split-second moments on the streets, it is the human condition and her instinctive ability to visually tell a story that stands out as a pervasive theme. Lopamudra has led workshops and mentored participants for Canon India and is a Fujifilm X-mentor. Her work has been widely exhibited and published all over the world. She also won Siena International Photo Awards 2021 In Street ( first prize).
