Festivals are an integral and colorful part of South Asian Culture. From Pakistan to India, from Thailand to Cambodia, festivals lasting from a few hours to several months and drawing crowds from a few hundred to many million, celebrate past and present and provide a break from the routine of daily life.

Tom Vater has covered many festivals, from the spirtual to the profane and these are his favorite celebrations from the region.

Several essays on festivals in Asia are included in his non-fiction title Beyond The Pancake Trench, published by Orchid Books.

The Maha Khumb Mela, Allahabad, India - Sadhus, Sannyasis, Ascetic Mendicants And Renouncers

The Wat Bang Phra Festival, Nakhon Chaisi, Thailand - The Illustrated Kill Convention

The Joshi Festival, Chitral, Pakistan - The Kalash

The Phuket Vegetarian Festival, Thailand - The Pain of Vegetables

Full Moon Party on Ko Phangan, Thailand - The Bucket People

Dakshin Kali, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal – Bloodbath for a Goddess

Phi Ta Khon Festival, Dan Sai, Loei Province, Thailand - Thailand's Halloween

Rath Yatra, Puri, Orissa, India - The Giant Car Festival

The Ko Samui Music Festival 2005, Thailand - Jerry Lee Lewis

The (Heineken) Fat Fest, Bangkok, Thailand, 2005 - The Kids are alright