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Night outdoor ritual before a large crowd lit by overhead bulbs and strings of lights. In the foreground, several men in white dhotis and saffron-orange cloths sit on a pink-and-orange mat beside a golden low pedestal. Behind the central area, a figure in saffron-orange robes and rudraksha-style adornments sits cross-legged with hands joined in front of a brass pot and offerings of fruit, flowers and sweets. A pink satin-draped seat with a golden backrest stands to the right. Trays of bananas, apples, coconuts, marigolds and brass vessels surround the ritual space. Behind, hundreds of devotees in white, cream and colourful clothing stand and sit, with cameramen filming and a camera on a tripod visible.

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November 10 20112011-11-10Night photo of a large outdoor ritual at a temple-like site, with a dense crowd of many dozens of men and women standing behind a rope barrier and camera operators on tripods filming. In the foreground, several saffron-robed priests and a white-clad priest sit on a cloth before a homa or puja arrangement: brass vessels, a small flame, banana leaves, piled offerings of fruit, flowers and sweets, and a bowl of coconuts and lemons. Beside them stands a golden ornate palanquin-style peetha draped in pink and orange cloth. On the right, a seated man in white with a sacred thread gestures during the ritual. Festoon lights hang overhead.2011-11-10Night outdoor ritual at Tiruvannamalai with a large crowd seated on chairs and standing behind. In the foreground, priests in white dhotis sit on a raised mat beside a homa fire pit lit with a flame, surrounded by fruit, flowers, coconuts, brass vessels and plantain leaves. A bare-chested man in orange shawl and beads, and another in saffron and white, participate. A woman in an orange-red shawl sits nearby. To the right, a golden throne-like pedestal draped in pink and orange cloth stands empty. Strings of lights hang overhead and a camera on a tripod records the event.2011-11-10November 10 20112011-11-10Night outdoor ritual before a large crowd of many hundreds seated and standing on a sandy ground under string lights. In the foreground, priests in white dhotis and orange-saffron garments perform puja at a long cloth-covered table holding brass kalashas, bowls of fruit, flower garlands, a lit oil lamp and offerings. A seated priest in orange raises a hand toward the offerings. To the right, a large ornate gold palanquin-style throne (peetha) draped in pink and orange cloth sits beside a woman in an orange shawl. Visible Indian-style camera equipment on a tripod is in the crowd area.2011-11-10Night outdoor ritual before a large crowd of devotees, many dressed in white, with some women in saris. In the foreground, priests in white dhotis and orange-saffron cloths perform a puja, one holding a lit oil lamp over offerings of fruit, betel leaves, flowers and sweets arranged on banana leaves and brass plates. Behind the offerings, a golden ornate platform holds a pink-draped object, and a woman in a red-and-orange top sits with palms joined. A cameraman with a tripod films at left, and strings of lights hang overhead.2011-11-10November 10 20112011-11-10A large crowd of devotees, mostly in white dhotis and saris, gathers at night under strings of lights for a ritual. In the foreground, several priests sit on a cloth-covered platform before a fire pit and offerings: plates of fruit, bananas, coconuts, flower garlands, brass vessels and a lit oil lamp. A seated figure in an orange-red cloth and a shaved-headed priest in white perform the ceremony, while a man in a white dhoti sits to the left with hands joined. Behind them a golden shrine-like throne is draped with a pink cloth and an orange cloth. A photographer with a tripod films the scene. Several people in the crowd stand with palms pressed together.2011-11-10Night outdoor ritual at a large open-air event with a dense crowd of devotees standing and seated behind barriers, many in white dhotis and saris. In the foreground a priest in white dhoti kneels at a low table covered with plantains, mangoes, flowers, fruit plates, brass lamps and bowls of offerings. Beside him, two men in saffron/orange robes and rudraksha-style beads sit on a raised platform. A woman in an orange-red garment sits at the center, and a man in white with a white shawl and garland sits at the right near a golden pedestal draped in pink and orange cloth. A camera on a tripod and stage lights frame the scene.2011-11-10November 10 20112011-11-10November 10 20112011-11-10 +1 copiesNight outdoor ritual on an open ground lit by floodlights. In the foreground, a shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl with gold-striped border sits at right, speaking into a microphone and facing a square altar built of yellow-gold blocks with a red border, decorated with mango leaves, coconuts, brass vessels and a banana-leaf tray of fruit. At left, two priests in white clothes sit by the altar; a man in orange robe with a long rudraksha-style bead garland and gold chain sits centre, holding an umbrella-like parasol. Behind them a large seated crowd of hundreds fills the ground, many in white and some women in saris, under strings of lights and a tent. The priest at right seems to be a shaved-headed priest in white; no clear a person cues are visible on the orange-robed figure beyond ritual dress, so identity is uncertain.2011-12-08 +1 copies