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Outdoor ritual by a wide river at a ghat, with a square brick fire pit lined with orange-tinted bricks at centre. A man in an orange-red robe with a large orange and yellow vertical mark on his forehead, a long beaded necklace and a loose hair fall sits on a raised seat under an ornate pink-and-white parasol, hands folded in front of him. Behind him stands a trident on a pole and a second white parasol. Seated on the left are several young men in white and orange clothes with white markings on their faces and bodies, while a man in white with a red-orange turban sits with hands joined in namaskar beside the pit. A brass bowl, a silver lamp stand and a tray of marigold garlands and bananas sit on orange cloth before the group. Calm grey water and distant hills fill the background.

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Outdoor ritual by a wide river under an overcast sky. A square fire pit of stacked orange and red bricks sits in the centre, with a brass bowl and oil lamps on a tray beside it. A man in saffron robes, a rudraksha mala and an orange-marked forehead sits cross-legged on a raised platform under an ornate umbrella and holds his hands in namaste. Beside him, a man in red turban and white dhoti holds his palms together, and a woman in red sits near the platform. Several shaved-headed young men in white and saffron sit in front, one holding a brass tray of bananas and marigold flowers. A brass trident stands upright behind the platform. The seated figure in saffron wearing a rudraksha mala and orange-marked forehead has distinctive long hair, but the cues are not conclusive enough to confirm identity, so the appearance is uncertain.2014-08-01Outdoor riverside homa on a wide grey-green river under an overcast sky, with distant tree-lined hills. A square brick fire pit stands in the centre, its sides stained orange, with a silver bowl and a tray of marigold petals and bananas beside it. A man in a white dhoti and a red-and-white turban joins his palms in anjali, and another in white sits with hands folded. At the right, a seated figure in saffron-orange robes wears a long orange-marigold garland, orange forehead marking and long hair, sitting before a silver throne with a leopard-print cushion beneath an ornate parasol. A silver trident stands behind him, and a woman in rust-coloured robes sits nearby. At the left edge, shaved-headed young men in saffron-orange cloth have white forehead markings. A brass oil lamp and aarti items rest on a red cloth in the foreground.2014-08-01Outdoor riverside ritual on a stone terrace beside a wide river with hills and trees behind. A square fire pit of stacked orange bricks sits at the centre, with a silver bowl and brass oil lamps nearby. At left, a shaved-headed young man with white paste markings on his arms and face holds marigold flowers and offering trays. Two men in white dhotis sit cross-legged with hands joined in prayer; one wears a red-and-orange turban. At right, a woman in red sari with a yellow border and a man in saffron-orange robes with a marigold garland and yellow forehead marking sit on a low ornate seat under a decorated parasol. A silver trident stands behind them, with a small flag and a silver-framed shrine panel. Marigolds, bananas and fruit are laid out on the stone.2014-08-01August 01 20142014-08-01A riverside ritual on a stone ghat beside a wide river with forested hills behind. A brick-lined fire pit stands at the centre with a metal bowl and brass vessels nearby. Seated devotees in saffron and orange robes, some with white dhotis and bare upper bodies marked with ash, sit around the pit; one holds a bundle of grass. On the right, a man with long hair tied back, saffron cloth and a garland of beads sits with palms pressed together in front of a ceremonial staff. Marigold garlands, a brass kalasha-style vessel with mango leaves and a tray of marigolds lie in the foreground. A photo credit reads Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam.2014-08-01August 01 20142014-08-01Outdoor river ritual on a riverbank with a wide grey-brown river and distant treeline behind. A rectangular brick fire pit (homa kunda) sits at the centre with a brass bowl and small brass vessels nearby. Around it, about seven men sit on orange-red cloth; several wear saffron-orange robes and rudraksha malas, and some have white ash lines and body markings. A man in white clothing sits at the fire pit, and one man has a red and orange headband. Marigold garlands and a tray of orange marigolds lie on the cloth, with mango leaves and a decorated kalasha at lower right. On the right, a figure in dark red-orange robes and a long garland of orange flowers sits on an elevated seat with a silver-backed throne behind and a decorated parasol above, a trident standing beside. The seated figure appears to be a candidate for a person, with long swept-back hair, ornate garlands and saffron-orange clothing, though the appearance is not fully certain.2014-08-01A seated figure in a saffron-orange robe with a long layered garland of orange-yellow flowers and a rudraksha-style necklace sits on a raised seat beneath a fringed, patterned orange parasol at a riverside ghat. A small square fire pit lined with yellow-painted bricks lies in front, with a silver kalasha-style vessel and brass pots nearby. On the left, a priest in white dhoti with red headwrap and sacred markings tends the offerings; a woman in red-and-gold sari sits behind the pit. Two white fringed parasols flank the scene, a trident stands on a pole, and another saffron-robed man sits on a blue mat to the right amid a crowd of orange-clad devotees on the steps.2014-08-01August 01 20142014-08-01August 01 20142014-08-01August 01 20142014-08-01Outdoor riverside ritual on a stone ghat by a wide river with hills behind. A brick-lined fire pit stands in the centre with a kalasha and a brass bowl. A man with an orange-and-gold head turban and a bare upper body sits on the far side, holding a cloth, while seated priests in white and saffron-red clothes chant and make offerings near marigolds and yellow pumpkins. On the right, a man in a saffron-red robe with a rudraksha mala and ornate gold necklace sits on a silver throne-chair under a fringed canopy, hands folded in prayer. Swamiji (probable): long dark hair swept back, distinctive ornate necklaces and saffron-red robes, seated in a position of honour.2014-08-01