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A photo of a ritual interaction indoors. On the left, a man with long dreadlocks, a gold-bead necklace and rust-red bracelets, wearing a rust-orange wrap, reaches out to touch the forehead of a bald, bare-chested older man with his right hand. The older man holds his palms together in front of him, and a white cloth is visible in the foreground. Behind them stands a small brass figure of a goddess with a crown and necklace. Several other people in light and cream clothing stand in the background. The scene resembles a forehead blessing during puja.

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A photograph of a ritual blessing. A long-haired man with a thick gold bead necklace, gold and orange armlets and a rust-red sash places his right hand on the head of a balding, bare-chested devotee who has his palms pressed together. A small gold deity murti of a goddess with a crown stands in front of them on a tray or base, flanked by a brass vessel. Other people in white and cream clothing and rudraksha malas stand behind. The man's appearance, with long hair and gold ornaments, makes him a person candidate, so the in-person candidate is shown performing the blessing. The devotee wears a tilak and a black cord around his neck.2017-07-07July 03 20172017-07-03A long-haired man with dreadlocks, wearing a rust-red cloth wrapped at the waist, bare-armed with red beaded bracelets and gold earrings, stretches his arm forward to press his hand onto the forehead of a shirtless devotee with a short haircut and a beaded necklace. Behind them, women in white and cream saris stand and watch. In the foreground a gold-toned brass deity murti with a crown and necklace stands on the altar.2017-07-07A photograph of a ceremonial moment in a temple-style hall. A man with long swept-back dark hair, wearing an orange-red draped garment, multiple rudraksha malas, a gold necklace, gold earring and beaded bracelets, reaches out to place his hand on the head of a kneeling man with short dark hair who wears a white dhoti with gold border, a bare upper body, a rudraksha mala and red wrist thread, with palms pressed together. Behind them, several men in white and orange dhotis stand, some bare-chested with malas, and a smiling man with a tilak sits near a small golden deity murti on a stand. Ornate gold pillars frame the right side. The long-haired man with rudraksha and gold ornaments is a person, giving a blessing; he is the appearance-based candidate and this is in person.2017-07-26A man with long dark dreadlocked hair and a short beard, wearing an orange-red draped garment, multiple rudraksha malas, gold necklaces and red-and-gold bangles, reaches forward to touch the forehead of a bare-chested older man with short grey hair. The receiving man wears white dhoti with yellow border, rudraksha mala, and holds his palms together in namaskar while smiling with eyes closed. Behind them, two white-clad men stand with rudraksha malas, and a small golden deity murti and a gilded ornate pillar are visible.2017-07-26July 07 20172017-07-07A photograph of a ritual blessing. A man with long dreadlocks, wearing a rust-red draped garment, gold ornaments and a gold necklace, sits on the left and lays his right hand on the forehead of a kneeling devotee. The devotee wears a white dhoti and shawl, and his hands are raised near his face. Beside them stands a golden deity murti of a female figure and a brass oil lamp on a golden stand, with bangled wrists and a standing row of women in white and gold-bordered saris and beaded necklaces in the background. The long-haired man is a person by appearance, seated in the role of guru giving the blessing.2017-07-07August 08 20172017-08-08 +1 copiesA photograph of a ritual blessing inside a temple hall. A man with long dreadlocked hair, a saffron-orange robe, red-orange beaded bracelets, gold earrings and a gold necklace places his right hand on the head of a smiling young man with short curly dark hair and a beard, who is bare-chested with an orange-saffron shawl draped over his shoulder. Behind them a golden deity murti holds a brass oil lamp. Several onlookers in white dhotis and shawls, one with a brown and white beaded mala, and a woman in white with a camera stand nearby, with a red-and-white bindi visible. Probable Swamiji (probable) gives the blessing, identified by long swept-back hair, orange robe, gold ornaments and red-orange beads, while the recipient is a devotee receiving padapuja-style blessing.2017-07-07A photograph of a ritual in progress. On the left, a bare-chested man with long dreadlocked hair and a gold chain stands with his right arm extended, pressing his hand onto the head of a young man on the right. The young man, bare-chested with short dark hair and a beard, has his arms raised with palms open, wearing an orange shawl, rudraksha malas and beaded bracelets. Behind them stand several women in white and cream saris with rudraksha malas, and a golden deity murti of a female figure stands beside a brass oil lamp in the foreground.2017-08-16 +1 copiesJuly 03 20172017-07-03August 16 20172017-08-16 +1 copies