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A photograph of an outdoor ritual beneath a large banyan tree with thick hanging aerial roots. Two priests in saffron-orange dhotis and shawls stand on a raised red wooden platform draped with a blue and white striped cloth, holding brass vessels and pouring liquid over a tall black stone deity murti at right, a naga-like form with a hooded head. Behind them, a group of devotees in white and orange clothing stand watching, a few holding ceremonial items, and a bald-headed figure in white stands at lower right beside a pot. A ladder and wooden structure rest at left.

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February 05 20152015-02-05Outdoor ritual beneath a large banyan tree with hanging aerial roots. On a raised red-legged wooden platform covered with a blue and red cloth, two shaved-headed priests in saffron-orange and red dhotis stand facing the viewer, one holding a white bowl and the other a conch-like vessel, with brass pots and offerings on the platform. To the right, a tall black stone naga or serpent sculpture rises beside them. Around the platform, a crowd of devotees in orange, white and saffron clothing watch, including several Western-looking women in white. A wooden staircase leads up to the platform and a small offering pot sits at the base.2015-02-05Outdoor ritual scene beneath a large banyan tree with hanging aerial roots. A shaved-headed priest in red-orange dhoti and sash stands on a raised platform, handling a brass vessel over a table draped with a blue and red cloth, which holds white cloth-covered offerings and bowls. Beside him another priest in orange garments and rudraksha beads bends over the table. To the left a woman in red and orange sari with a white flower garland stands near a wooden ramp. On the right a black stone deity murti, possibly Shiva, is decorated with green foliage. Several people in white dhotis and orange robes stand in the background among the trees.2015-02-05February 05 20152015-02-05February 05 20152015-02-05February 05 20152015-02-05Outdoor ritual beneath a large banyan tree with aerial roots. Two saffron-robed priests with shaved heads and rudraksha malas stand at a red-legged table draped with a blue-and-red cloth, holding a metal dish and bowl over offerings of white and silver containers. A man on the left wears a saffron garment with a white and orange flower garland and a gold necklace. Several saffron-clad devotees stand behind, and two women in white saris with gold borders stand at right holding brass items. A dark stone deity murti with a garland of green leaves stands at right, beside a metal pot. No a person candidate is clearly identifiable by appearance.2015-02-05An outdoor ritual on a raised red wooden platform with a blue-and-white striped cloth beneath a large spreading banyan tree. A man in orange-red robes with a garland of white and green flowers stands centre, holding a flame or offering and touching his face. Beside him a bald man in orange-red dress sits at the platform edge, a brass plate or offering dish before him, and a third man in orange-red cloth stands at right with smoke rising near his hands. A tall dark stone linga-like pillar draped with green leaves and garlands stands at right. Several orange-robed people and white-clad devotees with folded hands stand below, and a woman in white is seen at lower left. The scene appears to be a homa or puja with incense smoke.2015-02-05Outdoor ritual beneath a large spreading banyan tree at a temple-like site. On a raised wooden platform draped with a blue-and-white striped cloth, a bald priest in orange-red robes kneels and works at offerings with a brass vessel. Behind him, a figure in an orange-red garment wears a long white flower garland and stands on a step beside a marigold garland; another figure in an orange-red dhoti stands at the top right. A stone Shiva lingam with a deity figure stands at the right edge, and white-clad devotees with folded hands sit in the foreground and near the platform, with saffron-robed attendants around. Orange flowers and a sacred thread-wrapped tree trunk are visible.2015-02-05Outdoor ritual beneath a large banyan tree at a temple-like shrine. A shaved-headed priest in saffron-orange dhoti sits on a blue-draped wooden platform, receiving offerings. Beside him, a man in orange clothing with a flower garland stands holding a plate. Another man at right holds a lit oil lamp and wears a rudraksha mala with an orange shawl. A large dark stone deity murti stands at the right edge with a green garland, and a man in white dhoti at lower left folds his hands in prayer. Several devotees in white and orange stand around the platform, and fresh marigold garlands are draped over the platform and a pillar.2015-02-05Outdoor ritual gathering beneath a large spreading banyan tree with many hanging aerial roots. On a raised wooden platform with a blue-and-white striped canopy, two men in red-and-gold dhoti-style garments stand facing each other, one with a shaved head and one with a white-haired head, exchanging a garland or offering. A wooden ramp leads up to the platform. Below, numerous people in saffron and orange robes and white clothing stand and sit around the area, and a seated figure in orange garments wearing a flower garland sits at left beside brass vessels, flower offerings and a small table set with plates. A dark stone shrine or pillar with flower petals stands at right. Red-and-white cloth and a green tarp are visible at left.2015-02-05February 05 20152015-02-05