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Photograph inside a temple shrine during a homa ritual. Four men in white dhotis with gold borders stand around a central fire pit where flames rise over a decorated pedestal. At left, a bare-chested priest with white sacred markings on his body and a white head cloth gestures toward the fire. Two men at centre and right, bare-chested with gold chains and beaded necklaces, hold brass plates of offerings; the centre man wears a yellow turban. Behind them stands a large gold-and-orange canopy with floral garlands and a colourful striped drape, framing a deity murti group adorned with yellow and red flowers and a garland of white and green blossoms. Golden brass lamps and a palm frond stand nearby. A seated figure in a red and multicoloured-striped shawl sits in an ornate gold throne at the right edge.

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Photograph of a temple ritual inside a decorated shrine hall. Two bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold borders and white head cloths stand on either side of a central fire pit with flames. The priest on the left, wearing a white turban, reaches up to a tall palm-leaf pillar; the priest on the right, with a garland of white flowers and gold-trimmed cloth, holds a brass plate. Behind them is an altar with a decorated deity murti flanked by colourful festoons, golden ornaments and garlands. A pile of flowers and a decorated tiered pedestal lie in front of the fire, and a deity-themed figure wrapped in a red and blue cloth with white and green flower garlands sits in the foreground. Lamps and offerings are arranged around the sanctum.A ritual scene inside a temple shrine with a golden carved frame and a central deity murti flanked by two smaller goddess figures decorated with colourful garlands and bright rainbow-striped mandala backdrops. Three men in white and yellow-bordered ritual dhotis stand before a fire pit, two bare-chested with rudraksha malas and gold chains, one wearing a yellow turban and white dhoti, holding and offering plates. A fourth figure on a gold ornate throne wears a red turban and a garland of green, red and white flowers. Marigolds and pots of offerings sit before the deities, and palm fronds are tied to the pillars.A photograph of a temple puja inside a decorated shrine. Two bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold-bordered edges and white head cloths stand at a fire pit; the priest on the right, wearing a gold-trimmed turban and a white beaded garland, holds a brass plate of offerings. Behind them, colourful tiered deity murtis with gold crowns and garlands of marigolds and red flowers are set on a red cloth-covered platform. Palm fronds frame the scene, and a purple cloth-wrapped object garlanded with white flowers and green leaves lies on a yellow cloth in the foreground. Painted red, yellow and white pillars, a gold throne and brass lamps surround the space.A photograph of a Navaratri ritual inside a decorated temple-style mandap with a gold-trimmed throne and a deity murti at the back, adorned with flower garlands and framed by colourful festoons. Two men stand bare-chested in white dhotis: the figure on the left holds a green palm frond and performs a ritual gesture toward the fire, while the man on the right, wearing a yellow head cloth and a white flower garland, holds a brass plate. A flame rises from a homa fire pit in front of the deity, and a flower-garlanded object wrapped in red cloth sits on a yellow-covered altar. Brass lamps and oil lamps flank the scene. No a person candidate is visible; both men are priests performing the homa.A temple shrine decorated for Navaratri with a golden-yellow canopy and colourful striped festoons. Behind, a bright multicoloured deity murti sits on a red-draped platform surrounded by potted plants and flowers. In front, a long-haired priest in a white and gold-bordered dhoti and a yellow turban stands at left holding a brass vessel, while a bare-chested priest at right wears a white dhoti, a white-and-gold shawl, a gold-and-white garland and holds a small plate. Palm fronds flank the shrine. A fabric-wrapped figure in red, blue and green adorned with a white flower garland and leaves lies on the golden cloth in the foreground.A temple homa scene with a fire burning in a pit at centre. Two priests in white dhotis with gold borders and white head cloths stand on either side, reaching toward a shared offering plate over the flames. The left priest has white paste on his bare chest and arms and a beaded necklace. The right priest wears a yellow turban and a beaded necklace. A third man at far right, in a white dhoti with gold border and a beaded necklace, holds a tray with a red cloth. Behind them, a decorated alcove holds deity murtis with rainbow-striped and white frames, flower offerings and brass lamps under colourful bunting. A seated figure in a red turban and striped garment sits on a gold throne at right, and a red and purple cloth covered in white and green flower garlands lies in front of the fire.Three bare-chested male priests stand before a decorated shrine during a ritual, with a fire pit in front bearing garlands and offerings. The priest on the left, wearing a white wrap with a white turban, holds a brass plate of offerings toward the fire. The middle priest, in a yellow turban and white dhoti with gold border, holds a brass bowl and a rudraksha mala around his neck. The right priest, in a white turban and white dhoti, holds a brass plate and wears a long garland. Behind them is a golden canopy with colourful festoons and a deity murti with multiple faces and a gold-and-red backdrop, plus brass lamps on the floor. Vibhuti marks are visible on their arms and chests.A temple ritual inside a decorated shrine at KAILASA Hyderabad. Two bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold borders and white head cloths stand at left and right, one pouring liquid from a small vessel and the other holding a brass bowl. A third man in a yellow turban, bare-chested with rudraksha malas, stands at right beside a golden chair. Between them lies a large decorated deity murti in a red and purple sari with white and green garlands, on a yellow cloth. Behind is a shrine with a golden arch, a deity murti with a crown, flower garlands, potted plants, brass lamps and colourful striped cloth hangings. Palm fronds frame the scene.Three bare-chested men in white dhotis and white or yellow turbans stand before a decorated deity shrine during a homa. The man on the left wears white and holds a plate of red offerings, the man in the centre wears a yellow turban and holds a plate of flowers and leaves, and the man on the right wears a white turban and holds a plate draped in pink cloth. Each wears gold necklaces and carries white ash marks on the arms and chest. In the centre, a fire burns in a fire pit decorated with a garland, and behind them three deity murtis sit under a yellow canopy with colourful festoons, palm-leaf pillars and a rangoli-style backdrop.A temple ritual at KAILASA Hyderabad during Navaratri. At the centre, a decorated deity murti of a goddess sits in a golden canopy framed by palm-leaf stalks, with garlands and a red-and-green draped backdrop. In front, a small fire pit burns with a flower-garlanded offering on a red cloth. Four men in white dhotis stand around it: at left, a bare-chested priest with a yellow turban and folded hands; a second bare-chested man with a white turban and rudraksha mala; at right, a man with a white turban, rudraksha mala and folded hands; and a figure in a red turban and white garment seated at the far right. Brass oil lamps sit on the platform and a golden throne-like chair stands at right.A temple shrine at night during a homa, with a fire pit blazing in the foreground. Two priests stand on either side with palms pressed together in namaskar; the left priest holds a brass vessel, and both wear white dhotis with gold borders and beaded necklaces, one bare-chested. Behind the fire, a richly decorated deity arrangement sits under a golden arch with multiple deity murtis, adorned with flower garlands and marigold strands. Palm fronds frame the scene, and a golden-pillared hall surrounds the shrine. A small figure in a garland of white and green flowers sits before the fire pit on a red cloth.A photograph of a night-time Navaratri devi puja inside a temple hall. Three bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold borders stand around a decorated altar: the man on the left in a yellow turban holds a small brass bell or vessel, the priest in the centre holds a lit oil lamp, and the man on the right in a white turban stands with palms pressed together. A raised golden canopy hangs with striped festoon drapes above three deity murti decorated with marigold and multicolour garlands, flanked by a golden throne. In front, a fire pit with flames sits beside a kalasha-like offering covered in red and gold cloth and a white flower garland, with palm-leaf stalks framing the scene.