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Outdoor evening ritual beneath a large banyan tree with hanging aerial roots. On the left, three men in white dhotis and shawls hold lit oil lamps (aarti) toward a black stone deity murti decorated with multicoloured flower garlands and a silver-toned arch. In the centre, a woman in orange robes sits on a white cloth seat, with a row of devotees in white seated on the ground behind her. A small brass oil lamp stands on a red-and-grey stone pedestal, and a white-draped platform holds rows of small lit lamps and offerings. The scene is a puja or aarti performed in front of the deity shrine.

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December 23 20052005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23Outdoor evening ritual beneath a large banyan tree with aerial roots. Several men in white dhotis and white shirts stand at left holding tiered lamps of lit oil lamps aloft. A seated figure in saffron-orange robes sits on a white-covered seat at centre, surrounded by seated devotees in white clothing with hands joined, and a few in orange. In the foreground, rows of white flower petals are arranged on a cloth beside brass oil lamps and offering bowls. At right, a deity murti is decorated with multicoloured garlands and sits within a stone-edged basin. A red date stamp reads 23 12 2005 in the lower right corner, and a copyright line appears at the lower right.2005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23An outdoor ritual under a large banyan tree at dusk. In the centre, several men in white dhotis and white shirts stand before a decorated shrine framed by a stone arch hung with marigold and multicoloured flower garlands, with a deity murti visible inside. A priest in white holds a small lit lamp and a ritual implement near the shrine, while another figure stands to the right holding a flame aloft. A large crowd of devotees sits on white cloth on the ground in the foreground, mostly dressed in white, with a few in orange and one wearing an orange shawl. A video camera on a tripod is set up at the right edge. A small dish of offerings sits on the stone platform before the shrine.2005-12-23December 23 20052005-12-23Outdoor ritual beneath a large banyan tree with dense aerial roots. On the right, a decorated murti stands in a stone shrine adorned with multicolour flower garlands and a yellow garland. In front of it, a figure in white dhoti with a red shawl holds a lit lamp or aarti flame while seated on a mat. Along the left, a row of seated devotees in white and saffron clothing sit before a long line of brass plates, bowls and oil lamps, with a white-draped table in the centre. Several standing people in white clothes stand in the background, and a drum is visible near the mat.2005-12-22