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A photograph of a Siddha aushada preparation ritual in an open-sided hall. In the foreground, a bare-chested man in rust-orange cloth with a rudraksha mala kneels beside a square, gold-trimmed stone trough filled with sand and flower petals. Beside him a woman in a red-and-maroon sari sprinkles powder from a bowl into the trough. At left, a young man in orange garments with an orange head cloth holds a tray of cowdung cakes. Behind them stands a figure in a dark red robe with a long mala and a tall headwrap, appearing to be a sannyasi, and a woman in a green-and-yellow sari stands at right. Dozens of saffron-clad devotees with orange head cloths and malas stand in rows, many with palms joined, on striped floor mats. Silver vessels, a brass kalasha, a bowl of yellow liquid and dried herbs sit on the floor. The ritual is the aushada purification process.

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August 31 20172017-08-31August 31 20172017-08-31August 31 20172017-08-31Photograph of a ritual preparation of Aushada, showing two seated people in dark red-maroon robes working over a pit lined with brick and sprinkled with white flower petals and grass. The man on the left, bare-shouldered with glasses, a rudraksha mala and a red bead bracelet, holds a flat round cowdung cake. The woman on the right wears a maroon sari with gold border, long dark hair, a rudraksha mala and white markings on her arms, and holds a cake over a steel vessel on a brick stand. Behind them, several young children in saffron-orange cloth with orange head wraps stand with rudraksha malas. A silver kalasha-style dish, brass lamp with flames, rice and turmeric in bowls and a silver ornate container are visible. The scene reflects the Pudamgaatal smoke-purification step described on the page.2017-08-31Outdoor ritual scene under a covered pavilion with palm and leafy plants behind. A bare-chested man in a red-orange dhoti kneels at left, handling a small offering on a leaf-lined tray. Beside him a woman in a red sari with a beaded necklace and bangles works over a flat stone at a clay hearth. A man in a red-orange dhoti with a white headband and rudraksha mala sits at center. Behind them stand several people in orange and red garments and garlands. A large ornate silver throne stands at right. In the foreground a square, yellow-ochre fire pit lined with flowers holds a bowl of yellow liquid and small metal vessels, with a brass lamp and a kalasha-like pot nearby. Brass lamps and a standing fan appear at the edges, consistent with an aushada preparation ritual.2017-08-31Outdoor ritual scene in a courtyard beside red-roofed buildings and palm trees. A tall standing man in a rust-orange robe, a wrapped orange-brown head covering and beaded necklaces watches a rite. A kneeling man in orange and white gestures over a square yellow stone fire pit or vedi containing ash and offerings, with a silver vessel beside it. Behind them, a large group of young boys and men in orange garments and orange turbans stand with palms pressed together, with a few people in white. Silver ceremonial chairs, a silver pot and tubs of brass vessels, bundles of sticks and a plate of offerings sit on striped cloth, with a microphone stand visible on the right. Spiritual aushada preparation ritual.2017-08-31Outdoor evening ritual at a homa platform. A bare-chested man with long swept-back hair, a crown-like headdress and saffron-red shawl sits on a raised white platform at right, holding a long ladle over a fire on a brick heap; a silver tray stands beside him. In the foreground a gold-framed fire pit burns with flames. Seated on striped mats at left, men and women in saffron, orange and red robes and garlands sit in rows, one in an orange turban. Brass lamps are lit at right, a silver vessel stands in the foreground, and smoke rises across a crowd of devotees in the background.2017-08-31August 31 20172017-08-31October 10 20172017-10-10September 09 20132013-09-09September 09 20132013-09-09A homa fire pit lined with marigold garlands and a white-edged border, with a flame burning in the square trench at the bottom of the frame. Around it stand a crowd of men in orange and saffron dhotis and shawls, a few shirtless with gold necklaces and rudraksha malas, and one in a red turban holding a brass plate of offerings. A bearded man in white dhoti with a gold necklace and rudraksha mala stands at the centre, one hand raised in a mudra. Another orange-clad man holds a silver plate of fruit, and an outstretched arm on the right grips a long brass ladle. Small oil lamps sit near the pit edge. The scene suggests a fire ritual with offerings, though no clear appearance-based a person candidate is established.2015-01-13