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Night procession at a South Indian temple. A richly decorated palanquin carrying a deity murti is covered with garlands in yellow, red, white and green, under a striped blue, orange and yellow canopy with a golden finial. Shirtless bearers in white dhotis lift the palanquin on poles while a dense crowd of men in white shirts and checked shirts press around it. On the right, a man raises a brass tray holding a flaming camphor or aarti lamp. Smoke drifts above and a temple colonnade with white pillars lines the background. Several men are visible, and a few shawled women stand further back.

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Night procession at a South Indian temple. A decorated palanquin carrying a small gold-coloured deity murti is covered by a striped canopy in orange, blue, white and yellow with a gold finial, and garlanded with bands of red, white and yellow flowers. A man in a yellow dhoti bends low under the palanquin, carrying it on his shoulders. A dense crowd of mostly men in white shirts and dhotis presses around it, some holding up a metal tray with a lit flame, and some raising hands. Temple pillars and a tiered gopuram tower stand in the background under a dark sky.2012-04-05April 05 20122012-04-05April 05 20122012-04-05Night procession at a temple: a shirtless man in a white dhoti with a red-and-gold waist cloth stands on a decorated palanquin, arm outstretched, scattering petals into the air. The palanquin is covered by a striped canopy of red, yellow, green and white with blue fringe, and is heavily garlanded with marigold, orange and pink flowers around a deity murti. A dense crowd of men presses behind a wooden barrier, many reaching up with raised hands. Behind them a temple gopuram shows an elephant-headed deity relief, lit by warm lamps, with a Ganesha shrine on the right.2012-04-05April 05 20122012-04-05April 05 20122012-04-05Night procession at a South Indian temple. A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with a dark sash stands on a raised palanquin, holding a lit oil lamp over a deity murti that is heavily garlanded with marigolds, pink and white flowers. A multicoloured canopy with blue fringe shelters the palanquin. A dense crowd of devotees surrounds it with raised hands, some holding phones and cameras. A gopuram-style entrance with a Ganesha relief and a glowing lamp stands behind, and a videographer with a large camera is at right. No individual is clearly identifiable as a person.2012-04-05April 05 20122012-04-05Night procession at a temple. A bare-chested man in a white dhoti with a red-marked torso and forehead holds a brass lamp of burning flame before a richly garlanded deity murti carried on a wooden palanquin. Marigold and multicolour flower garlands drape the murti. Above it a striped ceremonial canopy with red, green, yellow and white fringes and blue tassels shades the procession. Dense crowds press around the palanquin, many raising hands and phones. Behind, an ornate gopuram features a Ganesha relief, and a lit Ganesha shrine stands at right beside a cameraman.2012-04-05Night procession at a temple, with a crowd of devotees carrying a wooden palanquin decorated with marigold and red flower garlands and a striped multicolour canopy. A shirtless man in a yellow dhoti stands on the palanquin holding a golden staff. Nearby, saffron-robed sannyasis wearing orange garments and beaded necklaces walk among the crowd, and a man in white dhoti and a red-and-orange shawl stands beside them. Temple gopuram tower and pillared hall are in the background. Dozens of people are visible.2012-04-05April 05 20122012-04-05Night procession photographed from the side, with a dark sky behind. On the left, a long-haired figure with a bare upper body and a saffron/orange cloth draped over the shoulder stands in front of the crowd and faces the scene. Several men in white dhotis and white shirts, some with maroon-and-white scarves, hold a palanquin-like structure and raise oil lamps in brass dishes. On the right, a deity murti is carried on a large ratha-style frame with a multicoloured striped arch of green, yellow, red and white, and a decorated canopy above. Two ornate umbrellas with tasselled edges and embroidered fabric stand at the upper left. Several people wear orange and white. Fruit sits near the lower right.2006-12-23