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A photograph of a shahi snan style ritual bath in shallow water. At centre, a bare-shouldered man bends forward while another pours water over his head from a raised hand, water spraying in a bright arc. Around them, devotees in white dhotis with gold borders and red sashes, and others in saffron-orange robes, many wearing gold and rudraksha beaded necklaces, press close. Several men shout with arms raised, and a videographer with a camera stands at the back. A flag and a spear-like staff are visible at right.

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May 09th 20162016-05-09A photograph of a ritual bathing scene in shallow water on a sunny day. A central figure stands waist-deep, bare-chested, with long wet dark hair pulled back by both hands, wearing a maroon cloth and a heavy gold necklace with a large gold pendant. Around him, several men in white dhotis and saffron/orange cloths with gold-thread borders, wearing rudraksha malas and gold chains, stand or lean in, some with hands raised. A man on the right in a light shirt with rudraksha beads and a man at lower left with white sacred ash on his forehead look on. A cameraman with a video camera is visible in the background among a crowd of white- and saffron-clad devotees holding flags. This appears to be a shahi snan (royal bathing) procession.2016-05-09May 09th 20162016-05-09A river or water ritual procession in daylight. In the foreground a man kneels waist-deep in water with both hands on his head, wearing a brown-red garment, heavy gold necklaces and rudraksha beads, while water runs off him. Behind him a group of men in white dhotis with gold borders and red sashes stand in the water, and a man in an orange-saffron dhoti and gold-beaded necklace holds a ceremonial staff. A bare-chested man in orange-saffron also stands nearby. On the right, men in maroon and red-brown robes with long hair and large gold ornaments hold ceremonial staffs, and a videographer with a camera films the scene. Red flags and a green-and-orange banner fly along the roadside behind the crowd.2016-05-09A photograph of a river ritual in shallow water. A person with long, dark, wet hair is bent forward and submerged, held by two men in white dhotis with rudraksha malas, one with a light horizontal tilak on his forehead. Behind them, a crowd stands in the water and on the bank, including men in white dhotis and orange-saffron garments with gold chains, and a man in a maroon robe holding a tall staff with a gold top. A cameraperson with a video camera stands among them. Water splashes around the submerged figure.2016-05-09A photograph of a shahi snan style ritual bath in shallow water. A central figure in a dark maroon garment with long rudraksha malas and heavy gold necklaces bends forward as two attendants in white dhotis with gold borders press their hands on his head. Around them, many men in saffron and orange robes, white dhotis and gold chains stand in the water and crowd the banks, some holding long staffs. A cameraman films the scene at the upper centre, and a bystander at the right holds a rudraksha mala. The figure's identity is not established from the scene, and no printed caption appears.2016-05-09A photograph of a ritual bathing scene in shallow river water. At centre, a man in a dark maroon garment with multiple rudraksha malas and gold ornaments is bent forward while two men in white dhotis with gold borders pour water over his head. Splashing water surrounds them. Behind, men in white robes with red and gold sashes and garlands stand in the water, and a man in an orange garment holds a gold-topped staff. A video camera is visible at upper right. Several people are visible in the image.2016-05-09A photograph of a shahi snan style bathing scene in shallow river water. A central man with long black hair and gold armlets and necklaces stands waist-deep, hands pressed together at his mouth. Around him, men in white dhotis with gold borders and red sashes wade in the water, one wearing a rudraksha mala and bare-chested, and a crowd of devotees in white and maroon stands on the bank. On the right, a man in orange silk with gold necklaces holds a ceremonial staff, and others in deep red robes and garlands stand behind him. A bald man in red lies partly submerged at the lower left. A photographer with a camera stands among the crowd, and the bright sky suggests daytime.2016-05-09Outdoor photo of a water ritual in shallow, muddy water. In the centre a devotee with long wet black hair kneels with both hands pressed over the face, while two men in wet white dhotis with gold borders and red sashes crouch beside her and a third man in white with rudraksha malas and gold necklaces stands behind. On the right a figure in an orange robe and gold beads holds a ceremonial staff, and a man in a maroon shawl with a dark turban and gold necklaces stands at the edge. Behind them a crowd of men and women in white and saffron, some with red and gold sashes, watches, and a videographer holds a camera. Bright daylight, trees and red flags in the background.2016-05-09A photograph of a ritual bathing scene in shallow water. A central figure with long dark hair, wearing a deep red-maroon garment and a heavy gold-toned multi-strand necklace with a large pendant, is bowed forward while two men in white dhotis with gold borders and red sashes cup water over his head. Around them, men in white and orange-saffron robes, rudraksha malas and gold chains stand in the water and crowd the frame, some holding a trident and red flags. A man in the lower right wears a white shirt and beaded rudraksha necklaces, and a man in the lower left has white tripundra marks on his forehead. A videographer with a camera stands at the back. The scene suggests a shahi snan style procession bath, though no printed event name is visible in the image itself.2016-05-09A central figure with long wet dark hair and both hands pressed over the face stands waist-deep in water, bowing as water runs down. The figure wears a deep maroon garment, gold bangles, layered gold necklaces and a large gold pendant with a deity figure, plus a rudraksha-style bead mala. Around them, a crowd in saffron and orange robes, white dhotis with gold borders, and maroon sashes stands or wades in the water, holding a staff and a flower garland. A man on the left leans forward with a white vibhuti mark on his forehead, and a man on the right in a grey shirt and beaded malas looks on. A cameraperson films at the back. The scene resembles a river bathing ritual.2016-05-09May 09th 20162016-05-09