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A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with gold border and a white-and-gold head cloth stands bent forward, holding a small lit lamp or flame near a golden-framed shrine. Inside the arch sits a dark deity murti with multiple arms, partly smeared with yellow turmeric, flanked by a brass-gold kalasha-like shivalinga and small metal figures on a gold plate. Behind, a second shrine has orange drapery and a deity dressed in a pink sari-like garment with gold necklaces and a crown. The walls are gilded and the floor is polished with a yellow kolam design; a digital timestamp overlay reads Jul. 12, 2024 Salem, Tamil Nadu.

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A temple shrine photographed indoors with gold-leaf walls and gilded arched niches. A priest bent forward at a brass tray lamp, lighting an oil lamp with a lit wick, wearing a white dhoti with gold borders, a white turban and a bare upper body with a tattoo on the arm. Behind him an orange-draped niche holds a dark multi-armed deity murti seated on a throne with a small brass figure in front. To the right another niche holds a pink-robed deity with a crown and garlands. Pink and orange drapery, a wooden stool and a patterned floor complete the scene. A timestamp reading Jul. 12, 2024 8:25:47 a.m. Salem Tamil Nadu appears in the lower right corner.2024-11-07A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with gold border and a white-and-gold head cloth stands bent forward in a gilded shrine, lighting or touching a small flame near a dark deity murti in an orange-lined arch. A brass tray holds a golden kalasha-like vessel, a small gold figure and offerings. To the right, a dark figure in pink and orange drapery with a crown sits in another shrine. The floor is wet and reflective, and the walls are gold-painted. The setting suggests a puja or abhishekam in progress.2024-11-07A photograph inside a gilded shrine room with a golden-arched niche. A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with gold borders and a white-and-gold head cloth stands at left, leaning forward with both hands on a dark deity murti seated in a golden arch, the figure with multiple arms holding weapons and a yellow-and-red garment. Before the murti on a round brass tray are a small golden sculpture and a copper-coloured vessel. To the right, a black deity murti in a pink sari with a red crown and garlands sits in an orange-lined niche beside an orange curtain. A brass lamp and pot are visible at left. The floor bears yellow and red kolam designs. A timestamp reads Jul. 12, 2024, Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-11-07A photograph of a priest in a temple shrine performing an oil lamp aarti before a large black stone Ganesha murti seated on a golden-framed pedestal. The priest is bare-chested, wearing a white dhoti with a gold-bordered cloth, a white turban, a rudraksha mala and a tattoo on his upper arm; he holds a brass lamp toward the deity. The murti wears a green and gold garland-bordered cloth, a silver necklace and a green and gold headdress, with a red tilak on its forehead. Brass oil lamps stand on either side, with a small decorated idol, a brass kalasha-style vessel, brass plates and an orange cloth on the floor in front. The gilded wall and arch frame the scene, and a timestamp reads Aug. 22, 2024 6:37:23 p.m. Salem Tamil Nadu.2024-08-22A shaven-headed priest with a bare upper body, white dhoti with gold border and a sacred thread, stands barefoot at left, holding a lit oil lamp toward a dark stone deity murti with multiple arms in a gilded shrine with an orange cloth backdrop. Two dark attendant figures in yellow-gold cloth flank the central image, and smaller brass figures with red garments and flower offerings sit on a tray at the base. A date stamp reads May 2, 2025 8:37:09 a.m. Salem Tamil Nadu. The scene shows a puja or aarti at a temple shrine.2025-09-05A bare-chested priest with a grey beard, wearing a gold-bordered white dhoti and a gold-striped headcloth, pours water from a vessel over a dark deity murti seated on a red cushion within a gold arched niche. The priest wears a rudraksha mala and stands barefoot on a wet grey floor. In front, a small white figure and a golden kalasha-like vessel stand on a copper tray during abhishekam. To the right, a dark deity murti in a pink silk sari with jewelled necklaces sits beside an orange-draped arch. Red and yellow kolam floor designs are visible. The walls are gold-painted, and a timestamp reads Jul. 12, 2024 8:14:29 a.m., Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-11-07A photograph inside a temple shrine with gold-framed arches and orange drapes. A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with a gold border and a white-and-gold head cloth pours a yellow liquid over a dark deity murti seated in an arched niche. A small golden figure and a golden vessel rest on a brass tray before the murti. A pink-robed deity figure with a crown and jewelled necklace stands in the adjacent niche, and a red and yellow floor kolam decorates the floor. A visible timestamp reads Jul. 12, 2024 8:23:42 a.m. Salem, Tamil Nadu. The priest's clothing and rudraksha mala are consistent with ritual abhishekam, but his face is not clearly identifiable.2024-11-07A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with gold borders and a white-and-gold cloth wrapped on his head bends forward to pour liquid from a small gold vessel over a small gold figure on a square gold base. Behind him stands a large black stone Ganesha deity murti seated on a lotus base, with an elephant head and raised hands, set in a golden arched niche with an orange cloth backdrop. Gold-painted walls, a decorated floor with white and red kolam-style patterns, and a timestamp of Sep. 21, 2024 6:35:17 p.m., Salem, Tamil Nadu complete the scene. This appears to be an abhishekam being performed for Ganesha.2024-09-21A photo taken inside a small shrine room with a corrugated metal roof and a ceiling fan. A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with gold-bordered edges and a white and gold headcloth faces away from the camera, raising a lit lamp or aarti vessel toward the ceiling. Before him on a raised platform stand two dark stone deity murti in gold-framed niches with orange backdrops: a Shiva lingam-like figure with pink and blue cloth and garlands, and a four-armed black deity wearing a green cloth and a pink flower garland. Brass plates, bowls, a kalasha pot, flower offerings and a tray of sweets sit on the steps. A timestamp reads Jul. 21, 2024 6:27:48 p.m. Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-07-21A photograph inside a temple shrine with a gold-painted wall and an orange silk backdrop framed by an ornate gold arch. A man with a white head cloth and a bare upper body wearing a white dhoti with gold border bends forward, pouring from a gold vessel onto a small brass murti on a wooden platform. Behind the platform stand dark stone deity murtis: a multi-armed central figure in a yellow dhoti and two attendant figures draped in yellow cloth. Small red-draped brass lamp stands flank the central murti, and the floor has painted white and red designs. A timestamp reads Sep. 9, 2024 12:50:39 p.m. Salem Tamil Nadu.2024-09-09A photograph inside a temple shrine with a gold-painted wall and a corrugated metal roof. A priest stands at left, bare-chested, wearing a white dhoti with gold border and a white head cloth, holding a lit oil lamp (aarti) toward the shrine. Three shrine niches with gold arches hold dark deity murtis garlanded with flowers; the central one wears a green cloth and flower garland. At right, a seated deity figure with a trident and flower garlands sits on a raised platform beside a trident (trishul). Brass oil lamps, plates, kalasha-like vessels and offerings are arranged on the steps in front. A timestamp reads Jul. 21, 2024 6:26:56 p.m. Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-07-21A photograph inside a shrine with gold-painted walls and orange cloth behind the niches. A bare-chested older priest in a white dhoti with a gold border and a white and gold head cloth stands at left, holding a small oil lamp toward a tall black stone deity murti of Vishnu with four arms, holding a discus and conch and wearing a crown with a red tilak. A rudraksha mala hangs on his chest. A brass tray with pink flower petals sits on an orange-draped table at right, and a partly visible black figure with bells and beaded ornaments appears at left. A timestamp reads Aug. 15, 2024 5:22:15 p.m. Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-08-15