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A photograph of a Pongal celebration in an open-sided hall with a dirt floor. In the foreground, earthen pots (pongal pots) rest on banana leaves, decorated with marigold garlands and set within a white rangoli kolam outlined with yellow flowers. Two men in saffron-orange robes stand at a fire pit, one kneeling and tending the flame while another in orange with bare upper body and rudraksha beads stands nearby. A man on the left wears a red-brown dhoti, garlands and an ornate headwear, with hands folded in prayer. Behind them, several people in red and orange robes stand near drums. An altar holds fruit, flowers, brass lamps and bananas. Orange and yellow flag banners hang from the rafters.

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January 14 20182018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14Outdoor pavilion with a red floor cloth, leafy bamboo and mango-leaf decorations, and a mud-plastered ground. A man in a maroon-brown dhoti with a saffron-red turban and a marigold garland stands at left, while saffron-robed attendants and a bare-chested man in orange cloth tend the ritual area. Several clay pots with leaf-wrapped rims sit on flower-strewn mud platforms beside a white kolam design and bananas, fruit and offerings on banana leaves. At right, a decorated altar holds flowers, oil lamps and a row of silver-toned items, with saffron-and-white triangular banners hanging on the posts.2018-01-14A photograph of a Pongal celebration in an open-sided pavilion with a red-brick and bamboo frame and a dirt floor. Several saffron-robed devotees stand at the back, one with a drum. Near the centre a man in a saffron cloth bends over a stone or grinding slab with a bowl of offerings. A white kolam floral pattern surrounds a brass-and-clay pot with a pineapple, marigold and banana offerings. Clay pots with leaves and sugarcane stand beside rows of banana-leaf plates heaped with rice, fruit and sweets. A tall man in a maroon dhoti and marigold garland, with a turban and a decorated umbrella overhead, stands on the left. A yellow-and-orange flag hangs at the upper right.2018-01-14A photograph of a Pongal celebration in an open-sided pavilion with a dirt floor. A standing man in a reddish-brown dhoti and a red-and-orange turban, with a flower garland and a shawl, stands with palms joined in front of a decorated pot. Women and girls in orange and red saris and salwar kurtas stand nearby, several holding hands together in prayer. Clay pots garlanded with yellow flowers stand on a kolam drawn in white powder, with sugarcane stalks, bananas, plantains and banana-leaf plates of food laid on striped cloths. A brass lamp and a large display of marigolds and offerings are set at the right, and an orange ceremonial banner hangs at the right edge.2018-01-14Pongal celebration outdoors under an open pavilion at a temple site. A man in a maroon-brown dhoti and a red-and-white turban stands with palms joined in namaskar, wearing a long white flower garland and heavy gold-toned necklaces. Behind him, a line of devotees in saffron-orange robes and rudraksha malas stand with hands folded, and a white-clad man and women in colourful saris also join. Two women in orange saris on the right hold offering plates. On the ground, a kolam of white rangoli patterns is outlined in yellow marigold garlands. Clay pots filled with flowers, a pineapple, bananas, a brass lamp, and trays of rose petals and fruit sit on striped mats. Three stacked clay-brick hearths with sugarcane and flower decoration form the Pongal cooking area. Drummers in orange stand behind, and a striped ceremonial umbrella stands at the top. Roughly 25 to 30 people are visible.2018-01-14Outdoor Pongal-style ritual in a covered courtyard. A large white kolam with floral border sits on the earth, surrounded by yellow and red marigold garlands, clay pots with mango leaves and coconuts, pineapples, bananas and brass plates of offerings. Saffron-robed sannyasis and women in orange and red saris stand and bow with hands folded. A standing man in a red-and-gold turban, gold necklaces and a garland on the left looks on. In the right foreground a saffron-clad man lies prostrate on a striped mat. Brass lamps and a decorated ceremonial umbrella with a kalasha emblem stand at right. Approximately ten people are visible.2018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14A photograph of a Pongal celebration in an open-sided pavilion. Saffron-robed sannyasis and women in orange saris stand on a red mat around a clay pot sun offering, with a kolam of white rice flour and flower garlands on the ground. A man in a maroon robe and gold-bead necklace, with a red turban and flower garland, stands at left with hands joined. A bare-chested sannyasi with rudraksha beads stands with palms together, while a woman kneels to arrange brass plates, bananas, sugarcane, and offerings on a striped cloth. Clay pots, a brass lamp stand, and a saffron banner with a bird emblem complete the scene. Visible people number about ten.2018-01-14Outdoor-style pavilion Pongal ceremony on a dirt floor decorated with a white rangoli kolam and yellow marigold garland borders. Two clay pots (pongal pots) with garlands and a pineapple sit at the centre, with bananas, sugarcane and offerings on banana leaves at left and a flower-covered altar at right. A man in a rust-brown dhoti and shawl, with a colourful headwrap and long garlands, stands with palms joined. Several women in orange and red saris perform a ritual near a clay stove and a flame, while a line of standing devotees in orange and red watch and fold their hands. Drums are visible in the background.2018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14A Pongal ritual set up under an open-sided shed with a red corrugated roof, decorated with mango leaves, marigold garlands and hanging bunches of greenery. On the floor are clay pots of boiling offerings, a kolam design, banana leaves heaped with sweets, fruit, sugarcane and marigold garlands. A man in a dark red dhoti with a large orange turban and garlands stands at left holding a leafy branch. Several people in saffron and orange robes move around the offerings, one bending over a platter, while another in a white dhoti operates a video camera on a tripod at right. Two round saffron-and-gold banners hang on the wooden gateway. Hills and trees appear through the open sides.2018-01-14