Indian Cultural Heritage Shines at Global Travel Photography Awards
The vibrant living cultures of India have once again captured international attention, this time through the powerful medium of travel photography. At the prestigious Travel Photographer of the Year Awards 2025, a compelling image originating from the arid landscapes of Maharashtra has earned global recognition, spotlighting one of India's most significant spiritual journeys.
Maharashtra's Spiritual Journey Receives International Honor
Photographer Dashawatar Gopalkrishna Bade secured the Runner-Up award in the highly competitive Culture, Heritage & Beliefs category for his remarkable photograph documenting the Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage. This distinguished recognition places Bade among the world's elite travel photographers while bringing renewed global focus to a centuries-old tradition that has profoundly shaped Maharashtra's cultural identity.
Now celebrating its 22nd edition, the TPOTY Awards stand as one of the most respected platforms for travel imagery worldwide, attracting photographers who explore diverse human experiences, rituals, landscapes, and belief systems across continents.
Capturing the Essence of Pandharpur Wari
Bade's award-winning photograph centers on a spontaneous moment of celebration during the annual Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage, where lakhs of devotees known as Warkaris undertake an arduous on-foot journey to reach the sacred temple town of Pandharpur. The image is captured from a distinctive low angle, creating a powerful visual contrast between the expansive blue sky and the earthly reality of the pilgrimage path.
At the heart of the composition, two men are frozen in a momentary pause during their traditional dance, while surrounding devotees form a rhythmic semicircle, clapping in unison. Their clothing bears the visible marks of their journey, with earthy mud stains that silently testify to the distances they have walked barefoot, embodying both physical endurance and spiritual devotion.
Bade has described his photograph as capturing the convergence of faith, energy, and cultural heritage, which represents the very essence of the Wari tradition that has been practiced for over a thousand years.
Technical Excellence Meets Emotional Depth
The photograph was created using a Nikon Z9 camera with a 35mm lens, employing a slow shutter speed technique that masterfully conveys a sense of movement and vitality. This technical approach combines professional expertise with deep emotional resonance, resulting in an image that transcends mere documentation to become a powerful visual narrative.
About the Travel Photographer of the Year Awards
For more than two decades, the Travel Photographer of the Year Awards have celebrated exceptional visual storytelling born from travel and exploration. The competition welcomes both professional and amateur photographers, with the 2025 edition receiving an impressive over 20,000 entries from 157 countries, demonstrating its truly global reach and influence.
This year's winners represent 56 different nationalities, selected through a rigorous anonymous judging process. The competition maintains strict guidelines, including a prohibition on generative AI usage and requiring shortlisted photographers to provide original RAW or equivalent JPEG files to verify authenticity.
Global Winners Across Diverse Categories
The prestigious Travel Photographer of the Year 2025 title was awarded to Athanasios Maloukos of Greece, whose photographic series explores themes of ritual and movement. His work includes compelling images of the Holy Week procession in Zamora, Spain, and the mesmerizing Sema ritual performed by whirling dervishes in Konya, Turkey, primarily captured in challenging low-light conditions.
Other notable winners include:
- Dana Allen from the United States, who claimed the Travel Image of the Year award with a dramatic wildlife photograph featuring a bull elephant enveloped in dust, with only one eye visible through the haze
- Jamie Smart of the UK, awarded Young Travel Photographer of the Year for his portfolio documenting flying foxes (fruit bats) and intimate moments at a wildlife hospital in Queensland
- Sara Bardotti from Italy, who won the Adventures & Experiences Portfolio award with her black-and-white series on Nenet fishermen in Siberia, emphasizing physical effort and resilience in harsh frozen landscapes
This international recognition of Indian cultural heritage through photography not only celebrates artistic achievement but also serves as a powerful reminder of the rich spiritual traditions that continue to thrive across India's diverse landscape.
