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An elderly bare-footed man in a white shirt and white trousers walks across a shallow pit of glowing grey ash during a fire-walking ritual, his palms pressed together in prayer. Behind a wooden rail, devotees in white dhotis and shirts watch closely, and a woman in an orange sari with a wicker basket stands among them. A metal pot sits on the ground at the edge of the pit, and a man in white at left looks on.

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Outdoor fire-walking ritual at a temple-side festival ground. A man in plain white shirt and white dhoti, with a dark rudraksha-style mala around his neck and eyeglasses, walks barefoot across a shallow pit of glowing grey ash and embers while holding his trousers. A bare-armed helper in white on the left extends a hand toward him. Behind a rope barrier, a crowd of mostly white-clad devotees stands watching, including men with white shawls and red-bordered cloths, and drummers with large drums on the right. A green-roofed shelter and red flags appear in the background under a clear sky.2005-12-31A barefoot man in a white dhoti and white shirt walks across a dark bed of glowing embers in a shallow trench during a fire-walking ritual. Behind a wooden rail, a crowd of men in white dhotis and shirts stand and watch, some wearing rudraksha malas; one man at right in a red-bordered white garment holds a metal bucket. Dirt ground and dusty red soil surround the trench. The walker's identity cannot be confirmed from appearance, so no candidate is asserted.2005-12-31A photograph of a fire-walking ritual at an outdoor site. A young woman in white clothes with a white shawl and a long braid walks barefoot across a bed of glowing grey embers in a lined pit, hands pressed together in prayer. Around the pit, devotees in white shirts and white dhotis stand barefoot along the edges, some with rudraksha malas and red shawls. Behind them, a drummer holds a drum, and a woman in a cream sari with a red-bordered shawl stands nearby. Wooden poles and a low brick wall frame the pit, with a red-roofed building behind.2005-12-31July 12 20062006-07-12A photograph of a fire walking ritual in progress. A bald man in a plain white shirt and white dhoti walks barefoot across a long trench of grey-black ash and embers, hands pressed together in namaskar. Along both sides, men in white dhotis and white shirts stand behind a wooden rail, many wearing rudraksha malas and ID lanyards. One man at the right wears a checked shirt and a striped shawl. A red-roofed building and palm trees sit in the background. The white-clad man is an appearance-based candidate for a person, with no distinctive presentation cues such as saffron, long hair, or ornate ornaments, so his identity is uncertain.2005-12-31July 12 20062006-07-12A photograph of a fire walking ritual on a dirt path lined with a shallow pit of grey ash and embers. A man in a plain white kurta and white dhoti stands in mid-stride across the ash with palms pressed together in anjali mudra, barefoot. Along the pit's edges, rows of white dots mark the path. Men in white shirts and dhotis, several wearing rudraksha malas, stand behind a wooden rail with hands folded or raised, and a man in a light green shirt and white dhoti stands nearby. Behind them are a red-roofed building and a crowd.2005-12-31Outdoor fire-walking event at an ashram in daylight. A man in white dhoti and shirt with a vibhuti mark on his forehead walks barefoot down a sunken pit of glowing gray embers, hands pressed together in namaskar. Lining both sides of the pit, numerous devotees in white ritual clothes stand barefoot with palms joined, some wearing rudraksha malas and ID lanyards. A red-roofed building with a green metal roof stands behind them, with palm trees beyond. A few women in white saris are visible in the background.2006-07-12Outdoor photograph of a fire walking ritual. A man in a white shirt and white shorts walks barefoot across a trench of glowing embers and grey ash, with white dots marking the path edges. Behind him, a man in white dhoti and shirt holds his arm and guides him. On the right, a row of devotees in white dhotis and shirts stand barefoot on the bank, one wearing a rudraksha mala, some with red cloth and a drum visible at upper right. A woman in a white sari with orange border stands near the pit. A wooden railing separates the crowd, and a red-roofed building appears in the background.2005-12-31July 12 20062006-07-12A photograph of a fire walking ritual at an outdoor ashram setting with red-earth ground. A long rectangular pit is filled with glowing grey-black embers and ash. A man in white dhoti and shirt is mid-stride walking across the pit, bare-footed, with his arms raised. Beside him a man in white with a rudraksha mala stands on the left, and a drummer in an orange cloth beats a drum. Devotees in white clothes line the wooden-pole barrier on the right, some with hands folded, and a child stands in the background. A steel vessel sits on the ground by the barrier. A red-roofed building is visible behind.2005-12-31A man in a white shirt and light trousers walks barefoot across a long pit of glowing grey ash during a fire-walking ritual at an outdoor ground. Devotees in white dhotis and shirts line both sides, many barefoot, some wearing rudraksha malas and ID lanyards. A woman in a white sari stands at the left edge, and a man in a white shirt with a red shawl stands to the right beside a wooden bamboo railing. Several people in the crowd are dressed in white, and a drum and a brass horn are visible at the upper right. Small white dots mark the edge of the pit, and a small orange-roofed building sits in the background.2005-12-31