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A photograph of several men in white dhotis, bare-chested with white and red sacred markings, holding up lit oil lamps or flames in a row during a ritual. The foreground man wears clear-rimmed glasses and has a red bindi and white tripundra marks. Behind him, other men hold flames in outstretched hands. The setting is a dim interior with a pale wall. Several flames are visible, with a golden ritual vessel at the bottom edge.

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Photograph of several shaved-headed men in plain white dhoti-style cloths with maroon borders, seated in a row on an orange-covered platform and raising brass oil lamps (deepas) lit with flames toward the upper left. Several have white vibhuti or sandal markings on their foreheads and arms; one wears wire-rimmed glasses and a rudraksha mala, and another wears a silver bracelet. The lamps suggest an evening aarti. Behind them hang white curtains and a pale wall.2010-11-25February 23 20112011-02-23Photograph of a group of male devotees seated closely together during a puja, mostly in white dhotis and white shirts. The foreground man has a shaved head and white markings on his face and arms; the man in the center wears glasses and a silver bracelet, holding a lit flame on a small lamp toward the viewer. Brass bells and small brass lamps sit on the floor in front, and a smoky haze fills the warm-lit room. Several other shaved-headed participants are partially visible behind them.2010-11-18 +1 copiesA photograph of a devotional ritual in an indoor hall with red curtains and bright windows. In the foreground a shaved-headed man in white dhoti and shawl with a dark rudraksha mala holds a small brass oil lamp with a lit flame, mouth open as if chanting. Beside and behind him several other men in white clothes with reddish-brown borders hold brass lamps and dishes, and a woman in the background also watches. Lit lamps glow throughout the scene.2011-07-31December 26 20102010-12-26A seated group of devotees in white ritual dhotis and shawls perform a puja, many holding lit oil lamps (diyas) in their hands. Several men wear rudraksha malas around their necks, and some have sacred red and white markings on their foreheads. A man in the centre wears wire-rimmed glasses and holds a lamp forward, while a bald man in the lower left chants with his mouth open. The atmosphere is focused and devotional, with more participants seated behind them in the dim hall.2011-01-29A group of men in plain white dhotis sit on the floor during a ritual, holding small brass oil lamps (deepa) lit with flames. The man in the centre, bare-chested with a rudraksha mala and a red-brown pendant, extends his lamp forward with his arm. Beside him, a man with a white tripundra on his forehead and another in plain white also hold lamps. On the left, a close-cropped man in white with a red thread holds a lamp and appears to chant. Brass plates with flowers, betel and offerings rest on the floor, and a green-and-gold draped table stands in the background. This is a lamp-lighting ritual, consistent with aarti.2010-11-30A seated group of men in white dhotis and shawls performs a ritual in a plain hall with pink curtains and a window behind them. Several priests raise small brass lamps with lit flames toward the front, while others hold brass vessels and small bowls. Some wear white cloth, sacred thread, and rudraksha malas, and a few have white and red markings on their foreheads. On the floor in front are plates with offerings, small brass cups, incense, and plastic containers. At the right edge, a man in an orange robe sits watching. This appears to be an aarti with oil lamps during a puja, and the people are visible in the foreground.2011-09-04 +1 copiesA night-time group ritual photographed from behind. Several people in white dhoti-style clothing with orange-gold borders, some with saffron-orange robes, hold up lit oil lamps or torches in raised hands. Some are shaved-headed and wear beaded necklaces and bangles. Stone steps and a metal railing are behind them. The flames are the clearest light in the scene.2011-02-02A candlelit ritual photograph in a plain room with a pale pink wall and stacked orange-red chairs. In the foreground, several men in white ritual clothing hold up small oil lamps with flames, their arms extended forward. The man at left has a shaved head and a bangle on his wrist, and the man in the centre has long dreadlocked hair, a rudraksha mala around his neck and bracelets, with his eyes closed and mouth open as if chanting. Others sit behind them in white dhotis and shawls, some with shaved heads. The image is blurred with motion, and the flames stand out against the dim background.2011-02-02A photograph of a pada puja ritual in a dim hall lit by many small oil lamps. In the foreground, a shaved-headed man in white ritual clothing with a maroon-edged shawl holds a lit oil lamp aloft with one hand and a brass bell in the other. Beside him, a man wearing glasses and white garments with red borders also raises a lit lamp. Behind them, rows of seated devotees in white and yellow clothes hold flames, with more lamps glowing on the floor and a brass vessel and offering plates at the lower left. No figure is clearly identifiable as a person; the central men are described by their ritual roles.2011-01-23Men in white ritual dhotis perform an aarti with small brass oil lamps held outstretched. The foreground man, bare-chested with a rudraksha mala across his chest and a brass bangle on his wrist, faces left holding one lamp. Behind him a man with white horizontal tilak stripes on his forehead and arms holds a second lit lamp. Another man at left edge is partly visible. A green and gold draped structure and a red tray with offerings sit at the lower right. The scene suggests a devotional lamp offering. The foreground man's bare chest and mala are visible, but his face is not distinctively marked by the qualifying cues required for a probable identification, so his identity is unsure.2010-11-30