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A large group of devotees stands waist-deep in a river, with a central man in the foreground bare-chested beneath a red-and-gold shawl, hands raised in a namaskar with fingers pressed together, wearing a heavy gold necklace and gold armbands and sandalwood-like marks on his forehead. Around him, men in white dhotis and orange or red shawls with rudraksha malas and forehead markings stand in the water, and women in red, orange and yellow saris with gold necklaces press their palms together. Photographers crowd the riverbank in the background. A trident-like sacred staff rises at the left edge. The scene suggests a ritual bathing in the river.

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A photograph of a Kumbh Mela shahi snaan at a river ghat, with a large crowd standing waist-deep in water. At the centre, a bare-chested man with long swept-back hair, gold ceremonial necklaces and a rudraksha-style mala stands in red-orange ochre cloth, hands raised in namaste above his head. Around him, devotees in white and orange garments and ash-marked foreheads press close, many with palms joined, while photographers and onlookers line the banks behind them.2016-05-21A large crowd gathers in a river, with a central figure standing waist-deep in water and raising both hands in greeting. He wears a red-orange dhoti and shawl, a heavy gold necklace and bracelets, and has white tilak marks on his forehead and a chest band. Around him, many devotees in orange, red and white robes, some with rudraksha malas and garlands, stand in the water with palms joined or raised. Photographers and cameramen fill the bank and foreground, and a vertical metal staff is visible at the left edge. The scene suggests a sacred bath during a Kumbh gathering.2016-05-21A large crowd gathers at a river bank during a sacred bathing ritual. In the centre, a man with long dark hair and a red-orange garment stands waist-deep in water with palms pressed together above his head, wearing a heavy gold necklace and gold armbands. Around him, devotees in white and saffron-red robes, many with sandalwood and vibhuti forehead marks and rudraksha malas, stand in the water with hands folded. Behind them, a dense mass of onlookers and press photographers with cameras fills the frame, and red and saffron flags are visible above the crowd. The scene appears to be a shahi snan style bathing rite.2016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21A large crowd stands waist-deep in a river during a ritual bath, with many people holding up red and orange flags and some raising hands in devotion. At the centre, a man with a shaved head and dark sunglasses stands in the water wearing a rust-red dhoti, an orange shawl, a thick gold chain necklace and a long rudraksha-style mala, with gold armbands. Around him, men and women in white and saffron robes, several with garlands and rudraksha malas, press close while photographers with cameras surround them on the banks. A man on the right holds up a brass-colored staff. The scene shows a shahi snaan bathing ritual with a densely packed ceremonial crowd.2016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21Outdoors at a riverbank, a bare-chested man in a dark maroon shawl stands waist-deep in water with both hands raised to his head, eyes closed and smiling. He wears a heavy gold necklace, gold bangles and a rudraksha-style red garland. Around him, many devotees crowd the water in white dhotis, saffron and maroon shawls, and gold ornaments. Some hold a silver staff and a trident-like silver standard, while a red flag and a large amplifier rise above the crowd under a clear sky. Shahi snan bathing scene with a ceremonial crowd.2016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21A smiling man with long dark hair stands waist-deep in murky river water, cupping water in his hands at the Kumbh Mela. He wears an orange-saffron cloth, multiple layers of rudraksha malas and gold-coloured necklaces, with a yellow-orange forehead mark and gold armbands. Around him, devotees in white dhotis and orange garments, many wearing gold and rudraksha necklaces, reach toward him and raise their arms. A man in a khaki uniform and a man in a yellow high-visibility vest stand on the bank. Behind them, a red-and-orange temple gateway with a spire rises under a clear blue sky, and a red flagpole stands nearby.2016-04-22A large crowd of devotees and photographers stands in shallow river water at a Kumbh Mela shahi snaan. In the centre, a man with long dark curly hair wears a dark maroon-brown cloth, heavy gold necklaces and gold armlets, and extends his arm forward while another man in white with a grey beard stands beside him. Around them, devotees in white dhotis, saffron and maroon garments and rudraksha malas wade in the water, while others hold red and orange flags above the crowd. A woman in a cream sari with gold jewellery holds a silver staff upright in the water. Many people raise cameras. a person candidate appearance is uncertain; he is shown as a participant in the holy dip.2016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21