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Two shirtless men sit cross-legged on a wooden floor performing a puja with lit oil lamps. The older man on the left has a bald head, white beard, a blue beaded mala and a white dhoti, and is holding a small flame. The man on the right wears a gold-bordered white dhoti, has a sacred thread and a red-and-white tilak on his forehead, and is lighting an oil lamp. In front of them lie brass plates with flowers, a banana leaf, a kalasha-style vessel and small brass items on a yellow cloth printed with Tamil text. A bottle of oil and bags stand nearby, and wooden chairs are placed against a tiled wall. Two other people are partially visible at the edges, one seated in a white dhoti at the right edge and another seated at the back in a striped sweater.

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A photograph of a yellow-walled hall where devotees sit on the floor and in chairs during a puja. In the foreground, a bare-chested man in white dhoti with folded hands sits before a brass plate of offerings, and a second bare-chested man in white dhoti sits beside a lit oil lamp on an orange cloth. Other seated people in white dhotis and a man in a striped sweater watch nearby. Oil lamps, fruit, flowers and brass vessels are arranged on mats. A timestamp reads 21 Dec 2025 8:28:16 pm, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.2025-12-21A seated man in a white dhoti with a gold border and a bare chest performs a puja on a green mat in a hall with yellow walls and wooden flooring. He wears a rudraksha mala and holes a stick of incense over brass lamps, a small brass kalasha, flower offerings, banana leaves and a small wooden shrine with a shivalinga-like object on an orange cloth. Behind him, many other devotees sit on mats, some bare-chested in white dhotis and some in white shirts, with a few women in saris and chairs along the wall. A timestamp reads 21 Dec 2025 8:27:28 pm, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.2025-12-21A photograph of a large hall where many seated participants perform a puja on mats spread across a light wooden floor. In the foreground a bare-chested man with white sacred markings on his body and a red-and-beige shoulder cloth sits on a pink mat, with a brass plate of offerings before him. Nearby, men in white dhotis, some bare-chested with sandalwood markings and rudraksha malas, sit before brass plates, lamps, flowers and small containers on orange and red cloths. Behind them, women in white saris and other participants sit in rows, and a person in a white shirt stands near a golden-walled shrine area with framed images. A timestamp reads 20 Dec 2025 9:04:46 pm, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. There are approximately 40 people visible.A photograph of a seated puja gathering in a hall with yellow walls and ceiling fans. Many participants sit cross-legged on mats, most men bare-chested in white dhotis, with rudraksha malas and sacred threads; several women in white saris and some in brown or colourful dress sit among them. Brass plates with flowers, small oil lamps and offering trays are arranged on the floor. A large framed portrait of a seated saint hangs on the wall, and a shrine with a gilded arch is visible at the back. A digital timestamp reads 21 Dec 2025 8:27:44 pm, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. No person is clearly identifiable as a person.2025-12-21A photograph of a crowded hall with a yellow-painted wall and wooden floor, where many participants sit on mats and cloths in rows. In the foreground a bare-chested man in white dhoti with a red sacred thread and beaded necklace sits on a pink mat before a small brass lamp, a brass plate of flowers and an orange cloth, while other men in white and bare-chested men sit nearby with brass puja vessels, oil lamps, flower-filled plates and a water bottle. Framed pictures of deities hang on the walls and a few people in white stand near the back. Timestamp reads 20 Dec 2025 9:05:10 pm Tiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu.May 26 20172017-05-26A photograph of a large hall with a wooden floor where a seated group of men performs a puja. Most are bare-chested in white dhotis with gold borders and white shawls, many with sandalwood or vibhuti markings on their foreheads and arms. Several sit cross-legged on orange and purple mats with small brass plates, flowers, oil lamps with lit wicks, and vessels in front of them, while some hold ritual threads. Behind them, other men in white clothing sit on the floor and on chairs beneath ceiling fans, and a gold-brocade cloth hangs on the left wall.A large indoor hall with yellow walls and ceiling fans hosts a seated group performing a puja. Many participants sit cross-legged on mats and cloths, mostly in white dhotis and white saris, with some wearing gold-bordered and orange saris. Several men are bare-chested with white sacred ash markings and beaded necklaces. Small oil lamps, brass plates of fruit, flowers and offerings are set in front of them. Framed devotional prints hang on the back wall and a shrine area is visible at the left. A timestamp reads 21 Dec 2025 8:26:36 pm Tiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu.2025-12-21A photograph of a hall where people sit on the floor in rows facing a screen displaying a deity murti with lit lamps. Several men sit bare-chested wearing white dhotis with yellow borders, and one older bald man wears glasses. Women in white garments and a man in a purple head covering sit among them. Small oil lamps burn on the floor in front of the seated devotees. On the right, a golden ornate throne holds a seated figure, and a red curtain hangs behind the screen. The scene suggests a puja or satsang in progress. A timestamp in the corner reads 18 Dec 2025 8:30:48 pm Tiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu.A photograph of a seated group in a hall performing a ritual at night. Many men sit cross-legged on mats, bare-chested, wearing white dhotis with gold-bordered yellow edges, and some hold small oil lamps with flames. Women in white saris and a person in a grey top and purple head cloth sit among them. In front, a large screen shows an illuminated deity murti or image with golden arches and lamps. A golden framed image sits on the right wall, and an orange and yellow painted wall surrounds the room. Timestamp on the lower right reads 18 Dec 2025 8:30:46 pm, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.A seated puja in an indoor hall with a mat floor. In the foreground, a bare-chested priest with a tilak on his forehead and a sacred thread sits cross-legged, offering with one hand over a brass lamp. Beside him, men in white dhotis and a woman in a white sari with a gold border sit before lit oil lamps, brass plates, flowers and a banana leaf with offerings on a striped cloth. Behind them, more seated devotees and framed deity pictures hang on the wall.A photograph of a hall with yellow walls and a ceiling of fans, where many people sit in rows on striped floor mats for a group puja. Most participants are bare-chested with white dhotis and sacred threads, while others wear white kurtas, and some women wear white or yellow saris. Brass thalis hold flowers, oil lamps and offerings in front of them, and several hold hands folded in anjali. Framed pictures hang on the wall behind them, and a small shrine is visible at the far end. A timestamp reads 4 Feb 2026 12:28:27 pm, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.2026-02-04