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A photograph of a temple ritual in a stone-pillared hall with smoke rising. In the foreground a bare-backed priest in a white dhoti with a red-and-gold border holds a large brass bowl wrapped in a green-and-white cloth above his head. Seated devotees in saffron and white fill the floor, and a seated man in a white dhoti sits at the lower left beside floral garlands and offering plates with fruit and flowers. Standing onlookers in shirts and saris watch from the back, and a colourful ornamented pole stands at the top right. Nothing visible identifies a specific deity or event.

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April 05 20122012-04-05A homa fire ritual in a stone-pillared temple hall. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a red-bordered cloth stands at the centre, tending a rising fire pit with ritual items and flowers beside it. Seated devotees in front, many in white and orange clothes, watch and kneel on the floor, while a figure in saffron-orange robes and rudraksha malas stands among them with hands folded. A crowd of standing and seated onlookers fills the background between the pillars.2012-04-05A large crowd of devotees sits on the floor of a temple hall with stone pillars, watching a ritual at a small blue wooden platform in the centre. Bare-chested priests in white dhotis, one with a shaved head and glasses, sit around offerings of fruit, flowers, a brass kalasha and oil lamps. Behind them, two elaborately decorated deity murtis are draped with bright garlands of orange and yellow flowers, and a banana plant stands beside a pillar. Women in saris and older men in white shirts sit among the crowd. Most people here are seated, with some standing at the back, and the scene reads as an abhishekam or puja in a South Indian temple.2012-04-05 +1 copiesApril 05 20122012-04-05April 05 20122012-04-05A crowded temple hall with a dense audience seated on the floor in front of a shrine decorated with garlands and flower-draped deity murtis. A bare-chested man in white dhoti with a wrap stands at the centre holding a garland, while a shirtless priest in a white dhoti performs a ritual at a small table holding fruit offerings, with oil lamps and a kalasha nearby. Columns are painted in red, yellow and blue, banana stalks and yellow cloths hang from the ceiling, and many devotees in white, pink, yellow and blue clothing watch the puja.2012-04-05August 03 20082008-08-03April 05 20122012-04-05Inside a temple hall with stone pillars and fluorescent lights, a priest in a dark red-brown dhoti and shawl, with a bare torso, holds a lit flame over a tray in front of him while others stand around in white dhotis, some with yellow and red borders. Several bare-chested men stand with hands folded in namaskar. Trays of banana leaves, coconut-topped kalasha-style vessels, and pink and white flower petals cover the floor. An orange-clad attendant holds a long staff at right. This appears to be a puja or aarti in a temple setting.2018-04-29A photograph inside a temple hall during a ritual at Tiruvannamalai. A seated figure in a saffron-orange robe and orange head wrap, with a long garland of yellow, white and red flowers across his lap, receives a tray of bananas and offerings from a bare-chested priest in white dhoti with sacred ash and beaded necklaces. Beside him, a man in red shirt stands with hands folded, and several men in white dhotis and shirts stand around. Two young sannyasis in orange robes and rudraksha beads sit in front on a patterned mat. Yellow bananas, a small lamp and a plate of offerings sit on the tray. Pillars and a golden shrine element are visible behind.2008-01-02A large outdoor ritual pavilion with white fabric draped overhead and smoke rising through the crowd. In the foreground, a bare-chested man in white dhoti with a saffron-and-green border bends over a basket of sticks beside a wooden fire pit, with a seated priest in a light patterned cloth with a mala facing the fire. Behind them, many men in white dhotis with gold borders stand and sit, several bare-chested. A woman in an orange-red sari walks in the centre. On the right, a golden ornate throne with red cushions is visible, with a man in a red turban and bare-chested attendants near it. Floral garlands, bananas, oranges and brass vessels sit on the altar tables, indicating a homa or yagna with offerings.2017-05-26A temple ritual in a crowded shrine hall with colourful painted pillars and yellow and orange cloth canopies. Two deity murtis are decorated with heavy garlands of marigolds and red flowers. In the foreground, a bare-chested priest in a white dhoti and a rudraksha mala holds a round brass tray with offerings. Beside him, a bearded man in a saffron-orange garment and mala gestures with a raised finger. Another bare-chested man with his back to the camera stands in front of the tray. Behind them, a large seated crowd of devotees watches, many women wearing saris and men in white shirts. A photographer's camera is visible at the lower left, and a priest in a white dhoti stands on a raised platform at the back.2012-04-05