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A photograph inside a shrine with gold-painted walls and an orange cloth backdrop. An elderly bare-chested priest with a white turban, white dhoti with gold border and a long rudraksha mala holds a lit oil lamp toward a tall dark-stone standing murti of Vishnu with four arms, holding a discus and conch, crowned and adorned with gold-trimmed ornaments. Beside him, a black stone deity is draped in red and pink garlands, and a tray of flowers and offerings sits at the right edge. A timestamp reads Aug. 15, 2024, Salem, Tamil Nadu. This appears to be an aarti or puja at the Perumal shrine.

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Inside a shrine with gold-leaf walls and an orange cloth backdrop, a bare-chested priest in a white dhoti and white-and-gold headcloth holds a lit oil lamp toward a large dark bronze Vishnu murti with four arms, holding a conch and discus, standing on a gilded pedestal. Beside it sits a small gold-coloured figure, and to the right a tray with pink flowers and small lamps rests on an orange cloth. The priest wears a rudraksha-style mala. A timestamp reads Aug. 15, 2024 5:27:12 p.m. Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-08-15A 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.2024-08-15A photograph inside a shrine with gold-painted walls and orange draped alcoves. A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with a gold border and a white head cloth stands at left, holding a lit oil lamp toward a dark bronze murti of a four-armed deity standing on a gold pedestal; the murti holds discs and a conch-like object. A rudraksha mala hangs from the priest's neck, and he appears to be making an offering. At right, a tray holds pink flower petals and small brass vessels on an orange cloth. Visible text in the lower right corner reads the date and place stamp. a person is not clearly visible.2024-08-15A priest in a white dhoti with a gold border and a white-and-gold turban stands bare-chested at left, wearing a rudraksha mala, and holds a lit oil lamp toward a large black stone murti of Vishnu with four arms, holding a chakra and a conch, adorned with gold ornaments and a red tilak. The murti stands on a gold pedestal before an orange silk backdrop framed by gilded arches. A timestamp reads Jul. 17, 2024 6:54:48 p.m., Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-07-17A photograph inside a temple shrine with gold-painted walls and orange cloth behind two arched niches. A priest with a cream-coloured turban and white dhoti, bare-chested with a long rudraksha mala and a tattooed upper arm, holds a flaming oil lamp in his right hand while facing a black stone four-armed deity murti of Vishnu with a conch and discus raised, adorned with gold ornaments. Gold and small metal utsava murtis and a black seated figure with bells and a jeweled cloth stand nearby, with flower offerings at the base. A timestamp overlay reads Nov. 26, 2024, Salem, Tamil Nadu.2024-11-26Photograph inside a gold-painted shrine room showing a bare-chested priest in white dhoti with gold border and a white head cloth, holding a lit flame near a tall black stone deity murti with four arms, crowned, standing before an orange cloth backdrop within an ornate gold arch. To the left a second dark figure in a red-and-orange cloth and garland sits, and on the right a brass offering tray with fruit, flowers and incense sticks rests on an orange-draped altar. A timestamp reads 14-Sept-2024 6:35:00 pm Salem.2024-09-15Photograph inside a temple shrine of a black stone standing murti of Vishnu with four arms, holding a chakra and a conch, adorned with gold ornaments and a crown, set against an orange draped backdrop within gold-framed arched niches. A priest on the left wears a white turban with gold border, white dhoti with gold edging, and bare torso with white sacred markings, swinging a small lit lamp or censer before the deity on a golden pedestal. A small brass utsava figure sits on the base in front of the main murti. A timestamp reads Jul. 17, 2024 6:54:58 p.m., Salem, Tamil Nadu. Only one physical person is visible.2024-07-17A photograph of an abhishekam being performed on a black stone deity murti of Vishnu with four arms, standing in a gilded arched niche draped with orange cloth. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a white and gold head cloth and a rudraksha mala pours liquid from a small vessel over the murti, which is streaming down its body onto the platform below. A small brass figure stands on the base, with flower offerings, a brass bell, lamp and kalasha on a side table at right. A timestamp reads Aug. 15, 2024 5:25:22 p.m. Salem, Tamil Nadu. Only one physical person is visible.2024-08-15A photograph inside a gold-lined shrine room in Salem, Tamil Nadu, timestamped Nov. 16, 2024 9:31:46 a.m. An elderly priest with a maroon turban, bare chest, white dhoti with gold border, and a long rudraksha mala lights a lamp held toward a dark green multi-armed deity murti of Vishnu standing before an orange drape within a gilded arch. Brass and gold figures, a small brass kalasha-like vessel and offerings sit on a round brass tray on the floor, with yellow flowers scattered nearby. At left, a large black murti with a jeweled red-and-gold covering and bell ornaments is partly visible. The priest is performing a puja or aarti during the abhishekam.2024-11-16A photograph inside a temple shrine showing a shirtless elderly priest with a white beard and a white head cloth bordered in gold, wearing a white dhoti with a gold border and a rudraksha mala. He pours liquid from a small brass vessel onto the head of a black stone deity murti with four arms, standing on a gold-edged pedestal. The murti is adorned with ornaments and a crown. Behind it are gold arched niches draped in orange cloth, and a gold-painted wall. To the left, a dark deity figure is decorated with a red and gold cloth and flower garlands. On the right, a brass bell and pink flower offerings sit on an orange cloth. The scene suggests an abhishekam ritual. A timestamp reads Aug. 15, 2024 5:23:28 p.m. Salem Tamil Nadu.2024-08-15A photograph inside a temple shrine with gold-painted walls and an orange silk backdrop. A bare-chested priest with a white head cloth and white dhoti bordered in gold stands at left, pouring liquid from a small golden vessel over the head of a tall black stone murti of a four-armed deity holding a conch and other emblems, standing on a gold-coloured pedestal. Behind the priest stands a gold arched niche framing the murti. At right is a tray with flower petals, a bell and an oil lamp on an orange cloth. Dark statues with red and gold garments appear at the left edge. A timestamp reads Aug. 15, 2024 Salem, Tamil Nadu. The scene depicts an abhishekam being performed.2024-08-15A shirtless priest in a white dhoti with a gold-bordered cloth tied as a headband pours liquid from a small vessel over a tall black stone deity murti of four-armed Vishnu, holding a discus and conch, standing on a gold-painted pedestal. The deity is adorned with a green-yellow stream of abhishekam liquid running down its body. Behind it an orange cloth backdrop frames gilded arches, and another black murti with floral garlands stands to the left. A brass lamp and a plate of pink flowers sit at right. The priest is performing abhishekam, a ritual bathing of the deity.2024-08-15