nikol in hindi
Facebook-f Instagram Soundcloud Mixcloud Spotify Youtube Vimeo-v
relativelyLocal - mindful media production, making media that matters Nikol (Nicole Jaquis) in the media & press... I’ve been in so many YouTuber’s and other documentary videos it hard to keep track of everything. I’m just beginning to find where I’ve been and post them here:
Ascetics with Cameras and Kumbh Mela

ascetics with cameras

For 12 years Ascetics with Cameras provided multimedia services, tools and training to Shiva's Army – the sadhus & sadhvis of Juna Akhara from 2004 - 2016. It was our mission to, not only provide multimedia tools to document and preserve the living-histories of these followers of Sanatan Dharma, but more importantly to train the members (of the oldest and largest order of Dasnaami Hindu ascetics) to document it for themselves. Giving them the skills to share with the world the stories and aspects of their culture they find important, empowered these ascetics to participate in the process of media-making to which their Akhara has been subject for centuries and enlighten audiences to the sacred, ancient paths and esoteric traditions of truth seekers. The ubiquity of camera phones and social media, made the need for this project obsolete.

  • multimedia production
  • 35mm film, 35mm Kodak Disposable cameras, various donated digital cameras, digital 4x6 printers, Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Pro
  • relativelyLocal, Ascetics with Cameras, Shi Panch Das Naam Juna Akhara
  • 2004-2016
  • Allahabad, crowd sourced media projects, culture shock, Dasnaami Hindu ascetics, donor supported project, experiential learning, Haridwar, hindi, India, initiation rites, Juna Akhara, Kodak, living abroad, Maha Kumbh Mela, mataji, media education, Mindful Cultural Exchange, naga sadhus, pedagogy, photography education, Prayagraj, Sadhana, sadhvi, Sanatan Dharma, Transformations, Ujjain, Uttar Pradesh, uttarakhand, via donations, yogis

12 years of Juna Akhara media-seva: 2004-2016

Ascetics with Cameras provided multimedia services, tools and training to Shiva's Army – the sadhus & sadhvis of Juna Akhara from 2004 - 2016. It was our mission to, not only provide multimedia tools to document and preserve the living-histories of these followers of Sanatan Dharma, but more importantly to train the members (of the oldest and largest order of Dasnaami Hindu ascetics) to document it for themselves. Giving them the skills to share with the world the stories and aspects of their culture they find important, will empower these ascetics to participate in the process of media-making to which their Akhara has been subject for centuries and enlighten audiences to the sacred, ancient paths and esoteric traditions of truth seekers.

"When you are on the outside looking in, it's sometimes difficult to get the story, much less get the story right..."

Most (travel) photographers who venture to the Kumbh Mela, India or any where foreign to them in general, tend to photograph anonymously. That is, it’s quite the norm to take pictures of people with out knowing who they are, much less actually consider what's in it for the subject. Furthermore few photographers make considerable effort to give a copy of the image to their subject.
Something very important to Ascetics with Cameras mission is ensuring the ascetics receive the photos they pose for.
Ascetics with Cameras

Ascetics with Cameras (free of cost to the receiver) gives prints to the ascetics photographed (by a various photographers using digital cameras), during the Kumbh Mela and thereafter.

Maha Kumbh Mela Ascetics with Cameras: mission # 1 - promo video

Give before you take...

Most (travel) photographers who venture to the Kumbh Mela, India or any where foreign to them in general, tend to photograph anonymously. That is, it’s quite the norm to take pictures of people with out knowing who they are, much less actually consider what's in it for the subject. Furthermore few photographers make considerable effort to give a copy of the image to their subject. Throughout the 12 years of the Ascetics with Cameras program, I made it priority to give away photographs and DVD before I began capturing and collecting more images. This approach was not only appreciated it, it earned me respect and access to document events other photographers were turned away from.

Juna Akhara from media education to the ubiquity of social media...

When I first tried to give cameras to the women, many of them seemed nervous to try making excuses like "But I don't know how to take pictures." or "I've never done this before, I won't be any good." But they were lining up for cameras, once I put it this way: "You tell me everyday in your sadhana you meet god, and you don't think you can learn to use a camera?"

Eventually smart phones with cameras, and akhara members creating their own accounts on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram became ubiquitous and the need for providing such support dwindled. Thus this project fizzled out over the years. I had kept a collaborative FaceBook page since around 2010, where hundreds of Juna Akhara members contributed posts. Unfortunately at some point one contributor was consistantly posting Islamaphobic content, that became to much to moderate, so I decided to shut down the Facebook page.

While the ubiquity of camera phones and social media, may have made the need for this project obsolete, searching Facebook, Instagram or YouTube with sir names of Giri, Puri, Bharti, or Saraswati, one can most likely find social media accounts and content by ascetics from any one of the akharas, including the most recently formed Kinnar Akhara.

Swami Jyoti Giri Maharaj's (becoming) Mahamandaleshwar ceremony

Juna Akhara Dharam Dwaja, March 3rd, 2021 Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India

Ascetics with Cameras and Kumbh Mela

Ascetics with Cameras and Kumbh Mela: The Journey thus far… 2012 update

Culture Preservation, news & other interesting stuff Leave a comment

A lot has happened in 12 years since we first embarked on the making of Take Me to the River. After each Kumbh Mela I’ve attended since, I’ve somehow managed to get inside acceptance into India’s oldest and largest orders of naga sanyasis, Juna Akhara. Once again for this coming Kumbh Mela I’ve been offered...Continue reading→