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A night-time group meditation or initiation gathering under a decorated tent with hanging tassels and string lights. Rows of devotees sit on a red carpet, most wearing red cloth blindfolds over their eyes, women in white saris with gold borders and men in white dhotis. Several wear garlands and necklaces; one girl in a white dress sits at the right edge. Some hold orange booklets. Behind them stand golden deity murtis and ornate golden thrones or peethas, with a figure in orange clothing near the right and another in dark red at the left.

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October 01 20172017-10-01Night outdoor gathering of a large crowd seated on mats in rows, many men and women in white dhotis and saris with gold borders, most wearing red blindfolds over their eyes. Many are bare-chested men with sacred threads and garlands, and women wear white with thin gold trim and necklaces. Name badges hang on several chests. Bright floodlights and strings of coloured lights hang above, with brass lamps at the left edge and a small backdrop behind. This appears to be a Shiva Deeksha initiation during a Kalpataru Yogam programme in Tamil Nadu. No single person is clearly identifiable as a person in this crowd.2017-09-05A large tent-covered gathering of devotees seated in rows on colourful striped woven mats, many wearing red headbands across their eyes. Most wear white or cream dhotis and saris, with a few in yellow and some in pale blue. Paper lanterns and decorative hanging lamps hang from the tent ceiling, and a golden tree decoration and potted plants stand at the sides. Further back, a few people in white stand near a decorated stage area with ornate golden seating. Consistent with a Karthigai Deepam observance during the evening lamp ritual.2016-12-12Night photograph inside a decorated tent hall with a red carpet. Dozens of men and some women sit cross-legged in white dhotis and white garments, many bare-chested with rudraksha-style necklaces, many wearing red cloth bands tied over their eyes. Hanging from the canopy are colourful cylindrical fabric banners with floral motifs and tassels, plus red and orange paper lanterns. Behind the seated rows, a golden bull statue and several ornate golden thrones and deity murti are arranged on a raised area, with string lights along the back. A standing figure in white stands at the right edge. Ritual vessels and offerings sit on the floor near the front rows.2017-10-01Photograph of a seated group of participants at a Shiva Deeksha event on a red-carpeted stage at night. Many people wear red blindfolds over their eyes and white saris or white clothing with gold borders, with red and white forehead marks and beaded necklaces. Some wear name badges pinned to their clothes. A young girl in a white dress sits at left with a woman. Behind them, smoke rises and blurred figures in orange and white stand on a dimly lit stage, with a golden deity murti or ornament at upper right.2017-10-05September 24 20172017-09-24 +2 copiesLarge outdoor evening gathering of many seated people, most wearing white clothes and red blindfolds tied across their eyes, sitting on a red carpet. Women in white saris with gold borders and one in a green blouse with white sari sit in the foreground beside a brass plate of green fruit and orange cloth. Behind them, a crowd continues into the dark with string lights, a golden ornate structure and a smoke haze at upper left. Dense group of roughly 100 people visible, partially in focus.2017-10-08A large group of young women and girls sits cross-legged on dark red mats across a tiled hall, many with red cloth blindfolds over their eyes, in a meditative posture. Most wear white or cream salwar kameez or saris with pink and gold borders, pink shawls and beaded necklaces. Some hold small yellow bags and notebooks on the floor, and a few hands rest in mudra-like positions on their knees. Men in white dhotis and shirts sit in the background among rows of red plastic chairs, under a white-walled room with a wooden door. The scene suggests a meditation or satsang session.2016-08-05 +1 copiesA photograph of a seated group of devotees in white clothes with red blindfolds tied over their eyes, sitting on colourful striped woven mats in a hall. Many wear red and orange shawls or stoles and some hold small papers. Behind them stands a decorated altar with a deity murti, garlands, brass lamps and a row of oil lamps on tiered shelves at right. A woman in the centre wears a white sari with gold border and red shawl, and a person in the foreground right wears white with a yellow-gold border. The scene appears to be a ritual session with participants blindfolded.2015-09-19A large evening gathering of devotees seated on red floor mats at a temple-style hall, decorated with golden shrines, gold-framed murtis and garlands. Most attendees are women in white saris with gold borders and gold necklaces, while the men sit bare-chested in white dhotis. Some carry orange tote bags and small plates. Gold deity figures and kalasha-style decorations line the background, with a few standing figures in orange and red near a central throne-like seat. A visible a person candidate cannot be confirmed from appearance, so no identification is made.2017-09-24 +2 copiesArticle - November 26 20062006-11-26 +1 copiesSeptember 24 20172017-09-24 +2 copies