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A large outdoor crowd of mostly bare-chested men in white dhotis sits in rows along stone steps beside a reflecting pool at dusk. Many wear rudraksha malas and some have white vibhuti or sandalwood marks on their chests and foreheads. Brass kalasha pots and small oil lamps glow on the steps in front of them. Illuminated tiered seating rises on the right and a lit stage structure with coloured lights stands at left.

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Outdoor evening ritual on tiered stone steps beside a water tank, with many men seated in rows in white dhotis and bare upper bodies. Many wear white-and-saffron sacred threads and rudraksha-style beaded necklaces, and some have sandalwood or vibhuti markings on their foreheads and chests. Small brass oil lamps and metal vessels sit on the steps among dark stone lingams and black ritual objects. A lit stage with strings of coloured lights and a garlanded arch stands at left. A seated man in white at centre holds his hands together in prayer. Crowd of devotees in ritual clothing fills the stands behind. Evening puja setting.2017-02-24Dusk ritual at a temple tank: dozens of bare-chested men in white dhotis sit in rows along stepped stone ledges beside a water pool, many wearing sacred threads and some holding japa beads. Black Shivalingas and brass kalasha pots with oil lamps sit in front of them, with small flames burning. At left, a lit illuminated stage structure stands under the evening sky; floodlights line the steps. A man in the right foreground wears a white shawl and gold chain and sits with folded hands, beside a bare-backed devotee. Scene suggests a Shaiva puja or Mahashivaratri observance.2017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24Night outdoor ritual on tiered stone steps lit by string lights along the wall and floodlights. Hundreds of devotees sit in rows with palms pressed together in namaskar. Many men are bare-chested in white dhotis with rudraksha malas, some women wear white saris or a purple sari with a colourful border. Small oil lamps and brass kalashas or lamps with flames sit in front of rows of black stone shivalingam-like forms and offerings on the steps. No individual is clearly identifiable as a person from appearance, so no candidate is marked.2016-12-23 +1 copiesNight outdoor ritual on tiered stone steps lined with rows of devotees seated in prayer with palms pressed together. Many men wear bare upper bodies and white dhotis, rudraksha-style beads and sacred markings, while some women wear white saris, a woman in a purple sari and a woman in a red and gold sari sit in the rows. Dark ritual pots and small brass vessels with oil lamps and flowers are placed on the steps, and strings of lights line the wall behind. No single a person candidate is clearly identifiable by the cues required, so no candidate is named.2016-12-23Night photograph of a large temple tank festival at a lit outdoor venue. Hundreds of devotees, mostly men bare-chested or in white dhotis and women in white saris, sit in tiered rows along the stone steps of the water tank, many holding brass kalashas and vessels. On the left, an ornate golden palanquin or deity vahana with striped red, yellow and black fabric stands at the water's edge beside a red carpeted platform. Illuminated pavilions, lights and flags surround the scene under a dark sky. No clearly identifiable a person figure is visible in this crowd view.2016-12-23Large crowd of male devotees seated in tiered rows on stone steps at night, many bare-chested or wearing white dhotis and shawls, with rudraksha and gold necklaces, sacred ash markings on their torsos, and small black oil lamps or pots set before them. Some hold open books or pages and many are seated in meditative or prayerful postures. A white-clad attendant stands at the upper left beside a railing and a red flag, and a person in a yellow shawl sits near the lower right. Warm lamp light lights the scene. No single figure is identifiable as a person from appearance.2017-02-24Night photograph of a large crowd seated in tiered rows on red-brick steps beside a reflective water body, each step lined with small brass oil lamps (deepams) lit in rows. Many people in white, cream, saffron and orange clothing sit with hands together, some in prayer, others looking toward the front. Strings of small lights decorate the walls behind, and red flags stand at the left edge. The scene suggests a Karthigai Deepam lamp-lighting gathering.2016-12-12December 23 20162016-12-23March 07 20162016-03-07