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Outdoor Pongal celebration at an ashram under a open canopy. Two earthen pots with yellow and white flower garlands sit on banana leaves on bare ground, with white kolam rangoli designs drawn in the dirt. Long banana leaves laid on a striped cloth hold offerings of rice, sweet pongal, vadas, bananas and spices. A man in a red turban, ornate gold garland necklaces and reddish-brown robe stands with hands folded in namaste beside a younger man in orange cloth with a leopard-print headband and rudraksha mala, who is offering prayers. A large group of women and girls in orange saris and white clothing stand behind them with palms pressed together, some holding rudraksha malas. A drummer in orange clothing is visible at the right edge.

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January 14 20182018-01-14Outdoor ritual gathering under a red-framed tin canopy. A central standing man wears a maroon-red turban, heavy gold necklaces, a gold waist belt and a long pink-and-white flower garland, with his hands extended in blessing. Around him seated people in saffron-orange robes, some with bare upper bodies and rudraksha malas, sit on the ground before a floral arrangement of yellow and white flowers and red petals with small brass deity murtis. Baskets of red rose petals, a clay pot with green leaves and a brass vessel rest nearby. Behind them a large crowd stands: women in orange and yellow saris, a woman in a yellow sari holding a stick, and a line of saffron-clad devotees with hands folded. Pupils of the scene include blue-clad women at left. Tiruvannamalai Aadheenam Kalpataru Darshan style gathering; the standing central figure is visibly distinguished by turban, gold ornaments and garland, but appearance alone is not enough to confirm identity.2018-01-14July 03 20172017-07-03 +1 copiesOutdoor Pongal celebration under a red-framed open-sided pavilion. In the foreground a man in white dhoti kneels at a fire pit beside clay pots and sugarcane stalks, while a woman in white sari bends to a brass vessel. A standing group of devotees in orange and saffron robes, several women in orange saris, and a woman in a white sari with gold border face the scene. Behind them stands a golden throne with a figure seated in ornate dress, and a deity murti sits to the left. Colourful umbrellas and a red canopy frame the area, with banana leaves and offerings on the ground.2016-01-15December 18 20162016-12-18January 15 20162016-01-15A photograph of a ritual hall with a large grid of silver-toned metal plates filled with coloured powders, grains and offerings laid across the floor in front of a line of participants. A row of people stands behind a rope barrier: several men wear saffron/orange dhotis and shawls, others wear white dhotis and shirts, and women wear white and orange saris. One woman in an orange sari with a flower garland stands at the end of the line, while a man in white holds a tall ceremonial staff with a trident-like top. Banana trees, strings of white flowers, orange festoons and a sound speaker frame the scene, with a floral rangoli at the lower right.2008-01-01Photo 11735635 +2 copiesJuly 29 20082008-07-29A Pongal celebration at an open pavilion with a tin roof. In the foreground, a clay pot filled with boiling milk sits on a brick hearth decorated with marigold and rose garlands; sugarcane stalks and dry straw lie beside it. Ground rangoli and kolam designs decorate the floor. Behind, rows of men in saffron-orange robes stand in lines, and two women in teal and pink saris play small drums. A canopied palanquin or dais with orange-red decorations stands in the background, with a seated figure in orange under it. Bright floral colours dominate the scene.2018-01-14Outdoor ritual gathering under a red-roofed open pavilion. A man in a maroon-brown garment with a red turban, heavy gold necklaces and a long pink-and-white flower garland stands centrally, hands folded, with a pale garland at his neck, while many people in saffron-orange robes and rudraksha malas stand behind. Three seated figures in orange cloth sit on a red carpet before a floor-decorated flower arrangement of yellow and white blossoms with red petals, brass figurines and a kalasha pot with green leaves. A woman in an orange-and-yellow sari stands at right with a mala. The scene suggests a puja or darshan with flower offerings.2018-01-14July 29 20082008-07-29