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A bald, bespectacled older man in a bare upper body and white dhoti kneels and receives something cupped in his hands from a long-haired man seated in front. The seated figure wears an orange-brown shawl, a rudraksha mala, ornate gold bangles and armbands, and a garland of pink and white flowers in his hair. Behind them, shirtless men in white dhotis stand with hands folded, one wearing a rudraksha mala and white sacred ash markings on the chest and arms, amid a crowded ritual gathering with red and gold decorations. A watermarked copyright line appears in the lower right corner.

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December 02 20162016-12-02Crowded ritual scene at night with many shirtless male devotees and priests. In the foreground, a long-haired man with a dark beard wears a brown-orange wrap over his bare shoulder, a large white and pink lotus garland, and gold armlets, and stands with his hands near a ceremonial offering. To the left, an older bespectacled priest with grey hair wears a bold eye-shaped mask on his forehead, a white sacred thread and white-and-gold dhoti, bending over to handle a small offering. Other devotees in white and cream dhotis, some with sacred threads and ash markings, fill the background, and a red cloth draped over a seat appears at right. Several people are partially visible.2016-12-02Photograph of a crowded ritual gathering at night. In the foreground, a bare-chested man with a short beard and glasses, wearing a white dhoti and an orange headband, bends forward with cupped hands receiving something from a long-haired man at right. That man has long dark hair, a garland of pink and white flowers around his neck, a dark rudraksha-style mala, gold bangles and a gold earring, and wears a maroon shawl over his bare shoulder. Behind them, several bare-chested men with white markings on their torsos and foreheads stand in the crowd, some wearing white dhotis and beaded necklaces. A red cloth-covered surface and gold ornament edge appear at the right edge. The setting suggests a Rudra Abhishekam or similar temple ritual, though the exact rite is not clearly visible.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02A crowded ritual scene of devotees, many bare-chested with white ritual cloths and sandalwood or vibhuti marks on their bodies. In the right foreground a long-haired man in a rust-brown shawl, wearing a white and pink flower garland, gold armlets and bangles, extends his hands to receive or hand over small items to a bearded man with a rudraksha mala and a red tilak. Other devotees watch, one with arms folded, and a woman in the lower left leans in. Behind them stands a colourful pooja setup with a garland-draped table. The gathering suggests a Rudra Abhishekam-style practice, though the exact rite is not clearly visible.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02Evening photograph of a ritual setting with warm lights. In the foreground a long-haired, bearded man seen from behind wears a rust-brown shawl, a lotus garland, a rudraksha mala and gold bangles, and holds a folded white cloth or offering. Facing him, a bare-chested, shaved-headed man in white dhoti and a white sacred thread-like neck cord hands him a small item. Behind them, other bare-chested devotees and a person in white stand amid red cloth and floral decorations, with a golden-edged structure at the right edge.2016-12-02A photograph of a crowded temple-style ritual setting with many participants. In the foreground, a bare-chested man in a white dhoti with a yellow sacred thread and a rudraksha mala offers something cupped in his hands to a long-haired, bare-chested man kneeling in a brown-orange cloth, wearing a white and pink lotus garland and gold armlets and bangles. Behind them, other men in white dhotis with white-painted bodies stand among the crowd, some with orange tilak marks on their foreheads. A dark stone deity murti with a red flower garland appears at the right edge, and gold drapery is visible.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02Shirtless male devotees wearing white dhotis and orange-and-white sacred bands across their foreheads sit and stand closely around a central figure. A bearded man with long dark hair, wearing a brown-orange shawl, pale pink and white lotus garland, rudraksha mala and gold bangles and armlets, is seated in front and extends his hands toward a kneeling devotee with a rudraksha mala and white neck cord. Several onlookers in the background, including a man in glasses wearing a white neck cord, watch the proceedings. Ritual abhishekam-style practice is suggested by the white ash markings and gathered devotees in a dimly lit hall.2016-12-02A photograph of a ritual gathering at a temple-style hall with colourful painted pillars. In the foreground, a long-haired man with dreadlocks and a beard wears a brown-red shawl over his bare shoulder, a pink and white flower garland, gold armbands and gold earrings. He smiles and looks to the side. Behind him, a bearded man wears a bare chest and a gold-coloured shawl, and a bald bespectacled man in cream dhoti and white sacred thread stands bare-chested with a rudraksha mala. Other bare-chested men in white dhotis, some with tilaka and sacred threads, stand or bend over offerings in the background. a person cues: long dreadlocked hair, flower garland, gold ornaments and an ochre-red shawl; he is the central figure and appears to be receiving devotees.2016-12-02