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A photograph of a ritual gathering in a hall. Two women in white cloth with gold borders and light blue hair nets stand at the center, one holding a silver tray with a lit flame and the other tending it, while a third woman in a white sari stands at right. Seated men in white dhotis with bare upper bodies, some with white and yellow body markings and rudraksha malas, sit on the floor in the foreground and middle, one holding a lamp. Behind them, seated women in saris and dupattas watch from rows of chairs with orange tablecloths, and people sit along the back of the hall. The scene reads as a Maheshwara Puja style fire ritual with oil lamps, with a light rudraksha-malaed man in the middle.

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January 08 20182018-01-08A seated ritual gathering in a hall during a puja, with many devotees filling the floor. Two priests in white dhotis with gold-bordered cloths and white head covers stand at centre; one holds a brass tray of offerings and the other holds a lit lamp toward the seated participants. Devotees wear saffron and orange robes, white, and colourful saris, with rudraksha malas and folded hands. A man at right with shaved head and bare upper body wears a saffron cloth and gold necklace, hands joined in prayer. A tripod-mounted camera stands behind the crowd. Oil lamp and offering tray suggest aarti or puja. a person not clearly identifiable.2016-12-18January 08 20182018-01-08A crowded ritual gathering seen from the front, with many seated devotees in orange, saffron and white clothing. Two women in white and cream saris with orange borders and white head caps stand near the centre, one holding a lit oil lamp or fire vessel. A bald, bare-chested man with rudraksha malas sits with hands folded in namaskar on the right. Many people sit on mats and cloth, some wearing rudraksha beads, and a video camera on a tripod stands among them. The setting looks like a puja or homa with a sacred flame at its centre.2016-12-18October 25 20102010-10-25A large group of seated men in white dhoti and shawl with red and gold borders performs a ritual, many holding lit oil lamps or flames toward brass plates and offering trays on orange and red cloth mats. Several wear rudraksha malas. One man in the foreground with a gold-bordered white shawl and a rudraksha mala holds a flame over a brass plate. Brass lamps, small bowls and copper vessels are arranged on the floor. Many people fill the hall, appearing to number in the dozens, with a few partially visible at the edges. No clearly identifiable a person figure is evident in appearance.2010-11-20 +1 copiesDecember 02 20102010-12-02A crowded indoor hall during a ritual where seated participants hold lit oil lamps with flames raised toward the camera, with smoke drifting in the warm light. Several men in white dhotis and white shawls, some with rudraksha malas and some bare-chested, sit on the floor with plates of offerings and small bowls nearby. Behind them rows of seated people, including children in colourful shirts and women in saris and kurtas, fill the room. Red curtains and a patterned wall hang in the background. No figure can be clearly identified as a person from appearance cues, so the central figures are described by their roles as ritual participants.2011-01-21A crowded ritual gathering of devotees seated on the floor during a puja. In the centre, a woman in a white sari with a white head covering bends forward holding a lit oil lamp, with her hands cupped toward a flame. To her left, a man in an orange dhoti with a rudraksha mala holds a brass tray of flowers and lamps. Nearby, a shaved-headed man with white tilak marks on his forehead sits with hands folded in anjali, and a woman in a teal sari and a woman in a blue top also pray with lit lamps. Behind them, a wall shows framed black-and-white photographs, and orange and red panels frame the room. Many seated devotees in saffron, white and bright saris fill the foreground.2016-12-18A large seated gathering of devotees performs a lamp ritual inside a hall. Many men in front wear white dhoti-style cloth with red-striped borders and rudraksha malas around their necks. Several hold up lit oil lamps or diyas, with flames visible in multiple hands, and brass plates with offerings sit on mats in front. Behind them, women in white and coloured saris and salwar kameez sit in rows, also holding small lamps. The lighting is warm and dim, with glowing flames throughout the room, and the atmosphere suggests a collective puja or aarti.2010-12-28December 26 20102010-12-26A ritual aarti in a hall with a crowd. A young man with long dark hair, bare-chested and wearing a white dhoti with a red and gold waist cloth, a rudraksha mala around his neck and a red and gold arm band, holds a brass lamp with a bright flame toward devotees. A second man in a white dhoti and rudraksha mala stands beside him holding a metal vessel. Around them, seated and standing devotees in white clothes and saffron-red shawls reach hands toward the flame, with a woman in a red top and others in white looking on. Air conditioning unit and onlookers stand along the back wall.2015-07-16