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A photograph of a ritual in which a long-haired man in a saffron-orange dhoti and wrap, with a rudraksha mala, presses his palm onto the forehead of a bare-chested devotee kneeling in front of him, the devotee wearing an orange shawl, beaded rudraksha malas and a gold-coloured ornament on his chest. Behind them, men in white dhotis and orange shawls stand with hands folded, and a golden deity murti sits on the lower right beside a sheet of printed text held by a woman in white. The setting is a temple-like hall with a pale wall and gold-toned fittings. The scene is a ritual blessing between teacher and devotee.

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August 08 20172017-08-08July 02 20172017-07-02 +1 copiesA ritual blessing during a puja. A man with long dark dreadlocks, wearing a rust-red robe, coral bead bracelets, rudraksha-style beads and gold ornaments, presses one hand on the forehead of a seated older man in white clothes and an orange shawl, while holding a folded paper in the other hand. Brass lamps and a small gold deity murti sit on the ground, and devotees in orange shawls stand behind. The man in the robe appears to be Swamiji (probable), a candidate by appearance with distinctive long hair, coral bracelets and ornate gold necklace, shown conferring a blessing.2017-07-07July 03 20172017-07-03A photograph of an initiation darshan in a hall with red curtains. A shirtless man with grey hair, rudraksha malas and an orange-and-white cloth printed with script sits with his palms raised while a dreadlocked sannyasi in orange robes presses a hand to his forehead. A bald man in white robes and rudraksha beads stands behind them, and a printed sheet of mantra text is held nearby. A bronze figure and a gold-edged throne sit in the foreground. No appearance-based a person candidate is clearly visible, so the seated figure and the robed officiant are described by role only.2017-08-03August 08 20172017-08-08 +1 copiesA photograph of a devotional initiation moment in an ashram hall. A middle-aged man with short greying hair and closed eyes, wearing a white dhoti with saffron-orange border, a shawl-like orange wrap, and a multi-strand rudraksha mala, receives a blessing. A long-haired priest in an orange-and-red cloth touches the man's forehead with his right hand. A second sannyasi with dreadlocks and white vibhuti marks stands behind, and a white-clad man with a rudraksha mala appears at upper right. A handwritten paper is held nearby, and a golden kalasha-like vessel sits at lower left against red curtains.2017-08-08 +1 copiesPhotograph of a ceremonial initiation. A long-haired figure in rust-orange robes, wearing gold earrings, a gold chain and orange bangles, sits on the left and presses his right palm to the forehead of a bare-chested man in an orange cloth, holding a rudraksha mala and gesturing with raised palms. A brass oil lamp and a gold-colored conch-shaped vessel sit nearby, with handwritten papers in the officiant's hand. Behind them, a large printed portrait of a bearded figure wearing an orange turban is flanked by women in white and orange shawls. Several people are visible, including partially seen figures at the edges.2017-07-07A photograph of a ritual blessing in a temple setting. A bare-chested man with long dreadlock-style hair, wearing a gold ceremonial necklace, orange-red rudraksha bracelets on his arms and an ornate gold-bordered orange garment, places his palm on the head of an older bald man in a red-and-orange shawl who smiles and raises one hand. Behind them stands a gold deity murti, a gold kalasha-like vessel sits near the foreground, and other people in white and saffron clothing stand in the background, along with a man holding a camera. Appearance-based label: a person for the man with long hair and ornate gold necklace, who is giving the blessing; the older man receiving it is a devotee.2017-07-07A photograph of a ritual blessing inside a temple-like hall with gold-carved panels behind. A bare-chested man with long dreadlocked hair and a white forehead mark, wearing an orange-and-gold shawl and rudraksha beads, reaches out and presses his hand to the head of a seated man in white clothes and an orange scarf printed with script. The seated man holds a folded paper and has a white tilak. Behind them stand a man in white with an orange shawl and rudraksha mala, a woman in white, and a person in white. A white air conditioning unit and red curtains are visible.2017-08-09 +1 copiesJuly 02 20172017-07-02July 02 20172017-07-02 +1 copies