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Night-time outdoor ritual photo. In the centre, a man in an orange saffron robe with an orange shawl raises a lit aarti lamp toward the dark sky while holding a small brass bell in his other hand. Around him, a large group of devotees in white dhotis and white kurtas, many wearing orange shawls, stand with hands folded in prayer and palms pressed together. Behind them, a few people in white and light clothing stand in the dark. In the lower left, a pink-red stone shivalinga-like structure is decorated with white cloth and a red sash, with a gold metal ornament and a brass plate with an orange cloth nearby on the ground. The scene is blurred and dark.

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Night-time outdoor ritual photograph. A central figure in an orange saffron robe with bare arms and a shaved-looking, short-haired head holds a lit oil lamp in one hand and a small brass bell in the other, walking forward. Behind him a long line of people in white dhotis and orange shawls, some with bare chests, stands or walks through the dark courtyard under a tree branch and a single tall light pole. On the left, a large golden hooded cobra-shaped kalasha or deity murti sits on a red stone base beside red offerings, and a brass lamp sits on the ground. A white cloth lies on a wooden tray near the bottom centre.2006-12-11Night-time outdoor ritual photograph beside a stone shrine with a gold cobra hood-shaped sculpture and red-stained offerings at left. A white-clad man kneels at lower left, lighting a small lamp on a white cloth placed on a wooden tray. A barefoot man in orange ochre robes with long dark hair, unadorned shoulders and bare chest stands at centre, head bowed, facing the kneeling priest. At right a man in white dhoti and orange shawl holds a small brass vessel. Behind them a large crowd of people in white and orange-shawled white clothing stands in rows under dark trees, several with hands folded in prayer. A tall pole and bright lamp light the scene.2006-12-11Night photograph outdoors beneath a large dark banyan tree. A man in a saffron-orange dhoti and shawl stands centre holding a small brass bell and a lit oil lamp flame in his hands, facing right. Behind and beside him, several men in white ritual clothes with orange shawls stand in a row, one holding a metal vessel with a flame, others with hands folded. A brass meru-shaped vessel and a folded white cloth rest on a wooden tray with a red-and-orange cloth at the foot of the scene, beside a decorated red cushion on a stone platform. The setting suggests a night ritual consecration.2006-12-11Night ritual photograph outdoors. A standing figure in an orange-saffron robe holds a tall brass aarti lamp with a multi-tiered flame aloft, facing a seated group. Seated on the left, several people in white garments with hands joined in prayer; one wears an orange-red shawl. On the right, a row of people in white clothes stand with palms pressed together, some holding small lit lamps. In the foreground a low platform holds brass vessels, fruit, flowers and a kalasha-like pot on a striped mat, with a decorated orange-draped structure with garlands at the far right. The surroundings are dark, lit mainly by the flames. Aarti and puja offering setting.2005-12-15A night-time outdoor ritual photograph in a dim open courtyard beneath a large dark tree. A man in white dhoti and orange shawl kneels on the ground at lower left, bending over small brass ritual vessels and a small pile of white material. Behind him, a line of about a dozen men in white dhotis and orange shawls stands in a loose arc, several holding small objects. A standing figure in a flowing orange robe stands at centre, facing toward the kneeling man. At right, a man in white with an orange shawl holds a ritual item. In the foreground a brass kalasha-like vessel with a domed lid sits on a red cloth beside a wooden tray holding an orange cloth and white cloth. A white pole stands at left. The scene suggests a consecration rite, with the kneeling priest attending to offerings.2006-12-11Night outdoor ritual under a large spreading tree with a lamp hanging in the branches. A man in an orange saffron robe stands barefoot at centre, holding a lit oil lamp aloft in one hand and a brass handbell in the other, with a faint red tilak on his forehead. Seated devotees in white clothes with rudraksha malas sit with hands folded in namaste on a cleared ground. Brass puja plates and small offering dishes rest on cardboard boxes and a patterned rug in the foreground. A woman in lavender sari and another in an orange shawl are among those seated. Aarti is being performed in a devotional gathering.2005-12-19A night-time photograph of an outdoor ritual beneath a large spreading tree with hanging lamps. A man with long dark hair and a red tilak on his forehead stands centre-frame wearing a flowing saffron-orange robe, holding a lit oil lamp aarti flame in one hand and a silver bell in the other. Around him a crowd of about twenty seated devotees in white clothes sits with hands folded in prayer; a woman in a lavender sari and a man with a white robe and beaded mala are prominent in front. Brass oil lamps, a brass kalasha-style vessel, a cardboard box and offerings sit on a rug and sandy ground. The scene is an aarti performed during a gathering.2005-12-19Night outdoor ritual photo under dark trees. A figure in saffron-orange robes with long swept-back hair holds up a lit oil lamp with a flame in a brass aarti holder, mid-chant. Around them, several men in white dhotis and white shirts with orange shawls stand with hands folded in prayer or holding bells and ritual items. A white pole stands at left, and a covered white cloth with orange edging rests on a wooden platform at lower right. The scene suggests an aarti being offered at night.2006-12-11December 05 20112011-12-05Night photograph of a guru puja aarti under a large spreading tree. A standing man in a flowing saffron-orange robe holds a lit camphor flame in one hand and a small handbell in the other, raised toward the branches. He has long dark hair and a red forehead mark. Around him, dozens of seated devotees in white clothes sit on a paved floor, many with hands folded; some wear rudraksha malas, and a woman in lavender sits near the front. Brass oil lamps, a brass tray and a small red mat sit at the lower left. Warm lamplight and a bright spotlight illuminate the scene.December 20 20062006-12-20July 11 20062006-07-11