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A ceremonial initiation scene in a temple-like hall with purple drapes and gold-framed deity figures. A standing man on the right, with long swept-back hair and orange-saffron robes, raises one arm toward a seated group. Rows of seated monastics in orange robes face a red-cushioned throne with a golden umbrella and a central ornate arch. Several seated women in orange saffron clothing sit at right, and a fire-like spray of sparks or flower petals rises in the upper centre. Ceremonial items, including a brass lamp and small silver dishes, sit on a low altar in front. Colourful hanging cloth banners hang from the ceiling at upper right.

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August 22 20062006-08-22A photograph inside a temple-style hall during a monastic initiation or training session. Seated devotees in saffron-orange robes, with shaved heads and some with rudraksha malas, face a raised shrine. Behind them stands a red-cushioned throne backed by a golden arch and a small golden parasol, flanked by golden deity murti statues and draped purple curtains. Gold and red colours dominate. A standing figure in a flowing saffron-orange robe, with long curly dark hair, gestures toward the seated group at the right edge, and a few women in saffron robes sit in the background. Rose petals and offerings lie on the platform, with a silver kalasha-like vessel at centre. Decorative yellow and blue striped panels hang on the pillars.2006-08-22A photograph of a ritual abhishekam on a stage draped with purple curtains. A figure in long flowing orange robes with dark, shoulder-length hair pours water from a white vessel in an arc, spraying droplets over a group of shaved-headed monks seated on the floor in orange and saffron robes. Behind the pourer, a gilded ornate throne with a small canopy stands beside a silver and gold deity murti and a clear crystal-like pedestal holding offerings. A second orange-robed attendant stands at right, and white dishes with offerings sit in the foreground. A hanging yellow and patterned banner is visible at upper left.2006-08-22Indoor ritual in a temple-like hall with purple drapery and a golden throne-style seat with red cushions. Several people in saffron-orange robes sit on the floor facing the altar, many with shaved heads or long hair, some wearing rudraksha malas. A standing man on the right, with curly shoulder-length hair and saffron cloth, holds a brass bell and a lit oil lamp over a tray near brass pots of flowers and mango leaves. Golden deity statues, including a dancing figure with a flute and a standing figure, decorate the altar, and incense smoke rises. A visible kalasha-style and padapuja-style offering arrangement with yellow flowers and petals sits on the floor. The lamp and bell suggest an aarti or puja.2006-08-22Indoor ritual session in a temple-like hall with purple drapes and a red-cushioned golden throne backed by a gilded frame. Around the altar are gilded deity murtis, including a dancing figure and a seated deity with a trident-like emblem. A standing man with long dark hair and bare chest, wearing an orange cloth, holds a small ritual object at the altar, while a younger man in orange robes with a red-beaded garland stands beside him holding a tray of red flowers. Several shaved-headed monks and young disciples in orange robes sit cross-legged on the floor facing the altar. Brass vessels with yellow flowers, a gilded kalasha-style pot and a small golden shrine stand before them. Colourful banners hang from the ceiling. The standing man has distinctive long hair and bare-chested adornments, so he may be a person leading the ritual, but this is uncertain.2006-08-22August 22 20062006-08-22August 22 20062006-08-22August 22 20062006-08-22August 22 20062006-08-22A ceremonial initiation scene on a raised red-carpeted platform before a purple draped curtain. A standing figure in long flowing saffron-orange robes, with long wavy hair, holds a golden parasol-shaped canopy over an ornate gilded throne with red cushions. Seated in rows on the floor to the left are about a dozen shaven-headed monks in orange robes and rudraksha malas, with palms joined in devotion. Brass and silver deity murtis, a silver kalasha-style vessel and small offering plates sit before them, with a kalasha and flowers on the platform. Yellow and patterned banners hang at the top left.2006-08-22August 22 20062006-08-22August 22 20062006-08-22