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Festivals around the globe

Dawn.com Published January 20, 2012
Kashmiri Muslim women offer prayers inside the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi on his death anniversary in Srinagar, India, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Thousands of devotees thronged the shrine on the last day of the 13-day festival. - AP Photo
Kashmiri Muslim women offer prayers inside the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi on his death anniversary in Srinagar, India, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Thousands of devotees thronged the shrine on the last day of the 13-day festival. - AP Photo
Ethiopian Orthodox Christian priests and monks take part in a procession during the annual festival of Timkat in Lalibela, on January 19, 2012. The Timkat festival marks the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. During Timkat, the Tabot, a model of the Ark of the Covenant is taken out of every Ethiopian church for 24 hours and paraded during a procession in towns across the country. Over 80 per cent of Ethiopians are estimated to be Orthodox Christians. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians believe the r
Ethiopian Orthodox Christian priests and monks take part in a procession during the annual festival of Timkat in Lalibela, on January 19, 2012. The Timkat festival marks the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. During Timkat, the Tabot, a model of the Ark of the Covenant is taken out of every Ethiopian church for 24 hours and paraded during a procession in towns across the country. Over 80 per cent of Ethiopians are estimated to be Orthodox Christians. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians believe the r
Tourists walk under the lanterns for Spring Festival displayed at the centuries-old Yuyuan Garden, one of the most popular tourist spots in town, ahead of spring festival celebrations next week in Shanghai, China on Tuesday January 17, 2012. - AP Photo
Tourists walk under the lanterns for Spring Festival displayed at the centuries-old Yuyuan Garden, one of the most popular tourist spots in town, ahead of spring festival celebrations next week in Shanghai, China on Tuesday January 17, 2012. - AP Photo
Princess Stephanie of Monaco (front, 4th L) and her daughter Pauline Ducruet (front, 3rd L) pose with artists during a photo session ahead of the 36th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo in Monaco, January 17, 2012. - Reuters Photo
Princess Stephanie of Monaco (front, 4th L) and her daughter Pauline Ducruet (front, 3rd L) pose with artists during a photo session ahead of the 36th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo in Monaco, January 17, 2012. - Reuters Photo
Panama's saxophonist Jahaziel Arrocha performs during the 9th Panama Jazz Festival in Panama City, Monday, January 16, 2012. - AP Photo
Panama's saxophonist Jahaziel Arrocha performs during the 9th Panama Jazz Festival in Panama City, Monday, January 16, 2012. - AP Photo
A medium performs a traditional mask dance during the Shikali festival in Lalitpur, January 20, 2012. Mediums wearing colourful clay masks participate in dances and people offer sacrificed animals and prayers in hope of gaining blessing from the deities during the Shikali festival. - Reuters Photo
A medium performs a traditional mask dance during the Shikali festival in Lalitpur, January 20, 2012. Mediums wearing colourful clay masks participate in dances and people offer sacrificed animals and prayers in hope of gaining blessing from the deities during the Shikali festival. - Reuters Photo
A Kashmiri devotee feeds pigeons outside the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi on his death anniversary in Srinagar, India, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Thousands of devotees thronged the shrine on the last day of the 13-day festival. - AP Photo
A Kashmiri devotee feeds pigeons outside the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi on his death anniversary in Srinagar, India, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Thousands of devotees thronged the shrine on the last day of the 13-day festival. - AP Photo
Bulls? fight as part of the Maghesangranti festival at Taraka village, Nuwakot district some 80 kilometers from Kathmandu on January 15, 2012. Thousands of spectators travel from the surrounding villages to witness the spectacle in which 14 buffaloes are paired off to compete. The winner is the bull that grounds or chases off its opponent. - AFP Photo
Bulls? fight as part of the Maghesangranti festival at Taraka village, Nuwakot district some 80 kilometers from Kathmandu on January 15, 2012. Thousands of spectators travel from the surrounding villages to witness the spectacle in which 14 buffaloes are paired off to compete. The winner is the bull that grounds or chases off its opponent. - AFP Photo
The German Casselly family perform with African elephants and horses during the opening ceremony of the 36th Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival in Monaco, Thursday, Jan 19, 2012. - AP Photo
The German Casselly family perform with African elephants and horses during the opening ceremony of the 36th Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival in Monaco, Thursday, Jan 19, 2012. - AP Photo
An Indian woman holds a kite representing an eagle during a Kite Festival in Kolkata, on January 19, 2012. Kite enthusiasts, school children and others participated in the festival promoted jointly by the state govermnent and the Japan Foundation. - AFP Photo
An Indian woman holds a kite representing an eagle during a Kite Festival in Kolkata, on January 19, 2012. Kite enthusiasts, school children and others participated in the festival promoted jointly by the state govermnent and the Japan Foundation. - AFP Photo
A picture taken on January 17, 2012 shows religious paintings at Ure Kidane Mihret Orthodox Christian monastery at Lake Tana in Bahar Dar. Ethiopian monks and priests are preparing for the annual festival of Timkat which celebrates the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. - AFP Photo
A picture taken on January 17, 2012 shows religious paintings at Ure Kidane Mihret Orthodox Christian monastery at Lake Tana in Bahar Dar. Ethiopian monks and priests are preparing for the annual festival of Timkat which celebrates the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. - AFP Photo
A metal worker shows his work at the Libyan Heritage Festival, organised by the Malak charity organisation, in Tripoli, January 18, 2012. - Reuters Photo
A metal worker shows his work at the Libyan Heritage Festival, organised by the Malak charity organisation, in Tripoli, January 18, 2012. - Reuters Photo
Two wrestling camels fight at the Pamucak arena during the Selcuk-Efes Camel Wrestling Festival in the town of Selcuk, near the western Turkish coastal city of Izmir, January 15, 2012. Hundreds of wrestling camels competed in the annual event watched by thousands of enthusiasts in western Turkey. - Reuters Photo
Two wrestling camels fight at the Pamucak arena during the Selcuk-Efes Camel Wrestling Festival in the town of Selcuk, near the western Turkish coastal city of Izmir, January 15, 2012. Hundreds of wrestling camels competed in the annual event watched by thousands of enthusiasts in western Turkey. - Reuters Photo
A bull tamer holds on to a bull during Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport played as part of the harvest festival of Pongal, in Palamedu, about 575 kilomters (359 miles) south of Chennai, India, Monday, January 16, 2012. - AP Photo
A bull tamer holds on to a bull during Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport played as part of the harvest festival of Pongal, in Palamedu, about 575 kilomters (359 miles) south of Chennai, India, Monday, January 16, 2012. - AP Photo
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, second right, Sri Lanka's first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, second left, and Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratna, left, participate in a Hindu religious rituals to celebrate Pongal festival at the president's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, January 16, 2012. Krishan arrived in Sri Lanka for an official visit Monday. - AP Photo
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, second right, Sri Lanka's first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, second left, and Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratna, left, participate in a Hindu religious rituals to celebrate Pongal festival at the president's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, January 16, 2012. Krishan arrived in Sri Lanka for an official visit Monday. - AP Photo

Bringing you a compilation of photographs of festivals, celebrations and anniversaries that took place around the globe this week.

--Photos and text by Agencies

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