Jaipur’s Painted Elephants

These photographs by Charles Fréger of Jaipur’s painted elephants won my heart. The talented French photographer visited India in 2013 to capture the magic of the annual elephant festival in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The elephants and their riders compete for the best decorated pair, adorning themselves in colorful costumes and body paint. In recent years, the festival has come under scrutiny by animal welfare groups due to safety concerns regarding the paint. Hopefully a safe alternative has been found and the beautiful elephants are happy and healthy. The festival will be held March 12, 2017 and details can be found here.