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Outdoor ritual at a rectangular earthen pit filled with white ash or lime, scattered with petals, under tall coconut palms. A figure in orange robes and a long orange-beaded mala stands at the front holding a ceremonial staff, while a second person in orange kneels at the pit's edge tending the rite. A small kalasha-like pot and offerings sit on a low wooden platform. Crowds stand behind a rope line: women in white and cream saris with hands folded in prayer on the left, and men in white dhotis and shirts, some with orange shawls, on the right. A few people wear orange saris. Temporary white tent structures are visible at the upper left.

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Outdoor ritual at a sandy ground beside tall coconut palms, with a long rectangular pit filled with white ash or flowers as the centre. Along the left, a line of women in white and cream saris with pale blue and orange borders stand with palms pressed together in namaste. On the right, a standing figure in orange robes with a red-and-white garland and a rudraksha-style necklace holds a brass vessel near the pit, flanked by men in white dhotis and shirts and a second figure in orange sari-like robes. Small brass pots and a small deity murti sit on a low platform at the pit's edge. Stacked logs lie at right, and a white canopy and bunting appear in the background, with a crowd of onlookers behind. Outdoor ritual scene; the figure in orange with the garland is a visible candidate but his appearance is uncertain.2008-12-31Outdoor ritual beside a long rectangular earthen trench lined with white ash or powder, with a small brass kalasha and a lit offering set at its head. Dozens of devotees stand along both sides in white and cream dhotis, saris and kurtas, many with palms pressed together in namaskar. A man in a saffron-orange robe kneels at the trench's edge with a vessel, while a woman in orange and another in a red and white sari stand near a tall ceremonial staff. Coconut palms and a pile of cut firewood frame the scene under bright daylight.2008-12-31Outdoor ritual at a sandy earthen pit filled with white ash or lime and scattered flowers, set among tall coconut palms. A standing man in saffron-orange robes with a long wooden staff and a rudraksha-style garland holds a ceremonial rod, while a kneeling figure in orange robes and a long orange wrap tends the pit beside a small stone or metal deity murti on a low wooden stand. Behind them a large crowd of people in white dhotis and white sarees stands in rows, many with hands folded in prayer, and a brass kalasha pot sits at the left edge. A homa-style fire pit or puja setup is visible at the right.2008-12-31Outdoor fire-ritual scene beneath tall coconut palms. A long rectangular pit of white ash runs through reddish-brown earth, bordered by a raised earthen edge, with a small kalasha-style pot and offerings placed at its head. A man in a saffron/orange robe stands at the centre holding a tall staff, flanked by people in white dhotis and white garments, some wearing saffron shawls. A row of women in white and cream saris with blue and orange borders on the left stand with palms pressed together in anjali. Stacked firewood sits at the right edge. Several onlookers watch from behind a rope barrier and a tent canopy.2008-12-31Outdoors among palm trees, a large rectangular fire pit lined with red earth is filled with white ash and sprinkled with yellow flower petals. Behind a white rope barrier, a crowd of devotees stands with hands pressed together in namaskar, many women in white and pastel saris and men in white dhotis and kurtas. A few figures in saffron or orange robes stand near the pit, and one man in saffron kneels at its edge with ritual items, while a man in white stands beside him. Piles of charred logs lie to the right, and white kolam or rangoli lines mark the ground around the pit.2008-12-31July 12 20062006-07-12December 31 20082008-12-31Outdoor photograph of a large crowd gathered in an open field lined with palm trees, on the day of a fire-walking ritual. In the centre, a long rectangular pit of glowing embers and ash lies on bare earth, with devotees standing along both sides behind bamboo railings. Behind them a decorated temple chariot or ratha with red and gold drapes, flower garlands and a tall wooden post stands under the trees. Near the front, a man in white dhoti and shirt stands beside the pit, and a saffron-robed figure with a flower garland stands at the centre near the pit's far end, surrounded by men in white and orange robes, some holding long staffs. Most devotees wear white clothes with orange shawls, and one man at the front-left has a tilak on his forehead.2007-12-30Outdoor photo of a fire-walking ritual on bare red earth beside a row of tall palm trees and a white tented structure. A man in a white shirt and dark trousers with a rudraksha-style mala walks barefoot through a long pit of glowing embers, hands pressed together in prayer. Beside him a bare-chested man in white clothing leans forward, arms extended in guidance, and a drummer at right plays a barrel drum. A large crowd of devotees in white kurtas, white dhotis, saris in red, yellow and orange, and a woman in a red sari with a grey shawl stands along the edges, many watching in silence. A small red bucket and a brass pot sit at the pit's edge.2008-12-31Outdoor photograph of a fire-walking ritual at a village ashram. A figure with long dark hair, wearing a saffron-orange robe and a beaded gold-toned necklace, walks barefoot across a shallow pit of grey-white ash, holding a thin rod. Around the pit, a crowd of devotees in white dhotis and white kurtas stand with hands folded in namaskar or raised in celebration, some holding wooden poles. The pit edges are lined with white powder kolam designs of flowers and a small yellow-filled basin sits at the lower corner. Behind them, a tiled-roof building, palm trees, a red-and-yellow flag, and a decorated ratha or palanquin with garlands are visible. A bare-armed man in white holds a metal vessel in the foreground corner.2005-12-31Outdoor fire-walking ritual on a reddish dirt path lined with palm trees and white tented structures. A young man in an orange shawl over white dhoti, with a rudraksha mala at his neck, steps across a trench of glowing coals and water. A woman in white with dark hair watches nearby, and a row of devotees in white clothes, some with red and yellow scarves, line both sides of the path. A man at right holds a drum. A red bucket sits at lower left.2008-12-31A photograph of a fire-walking ritual at an outdoor ashram setting with palm trees and an orange-roofed building behind. A tall figure with long dark hair wears a saffron-orange robe and a gold necklace, stepping barefoot across a shallow pit of glowing embers and ash bordered by mud walls and white floral kolam-style patterns. Along both sides, devotees in white dhotis and kurtas stand with hands raised or folded in prayer, and some hold drums. Behind them a crowd gathers and a colourful decorated festival structure rises at the right. A small water-filled basin sits at the pit's edge.2005-12-31