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A crowded street procession in Pondicherry, with devotees packed close around a golden ratha chariot draped in flower garlands and decorated with colourful canopies. Many people in the foreground, including women with plaited hair and jasmine flowers, a girl in a white and red dress with a tilaka on her forehead, and an older woman in a green sari. The deity figures on the chariot are small and partly obscured by the crowd. Trees, a concrete building and a rooftop onlooker are behind them under a pale sky.

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October 16 20062006-10-16October 09 20062006-10-09Outdoor street procession in Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu. A gilded ratha (chariot) decorated with pink, white and yellow garlands and two multicoloured umbrellas stands on the road, with deity figures and framed portraits on it. Crowds of women in saris of teal, maroon, orange, green and purple stand close to the chariot, many with hair in braids and flowers. A man in a white dhoti and shirt stands on the chariot platform, and other men in white clothes walk beside it, one wearing an orange shawl. Palm trees and a blue sky are behind.2006-10-16A street procession in a village setting with a gilded, ornately carved ratha (processional chariot) shrine decorated with white and pink flower garlands and marigold strands. Two murti figures of deities are seated inside, adorned with flowers and jewellery. Two red, green and yellow umbrellas with fringed edges shelter the shrine. A white-robed man stands in front of the shrine, and framed portraits on poles are carried beside it. A crowd of women in saris and young girls with flowers in their hair, plus a few men, stands closely around the procession on a dirt road under a blue sky with trees.2006-10-16A crowded outdoor street procession in Tamil Nadu. In the foreground a man in a white shirt and white dhoti-style trousers raises his arm, pointing toward the procession, while many devotees crowd around him, including a young girl in a white dress and a woman in a yellow sari. On the right an elderly woman in a green sari stands near a child in white. Behind them a golden ornate ratha/chariot shrine is decorated with garlands and flowers, with colourful umbrella canopies over the deity palanquin. Yellow and beige buildings and trees line the street.2006-10-16Dense crowd of devotees gathered outdoors under large shade trees during a procession. In the foreground, women with hair pulled back and jasmine flowers, one in a green sari and another in a white and light blue top, stand close together, several with grey hair. On the right, a golden ornate palanquin decorated with garlands and flowers carries deity murtis, with colourful umbrellas above. A man in white clothing attends the palanquin. A white bus is parked to the left. Some people have small markings on their foreheads.2006-10-16October 16 20062006-10-16Outdoor street procession in Pondicherry during a temple car (ratha) parade. A golden palanquin-style chariot canopy is draped with pink, white and yellow garlands and holds deity murtis. A man in white clothes bends forward at its base making an offering or touching the garlands. Several women in saris and braided hair stand in the crowd, along with men in shirts and dhotis. Two multicoloured fringed umbrellas flank the chariot. Blue sky and trees are behind the scene.2006-10-16October 16 20062006-10-16Outdoor procession in a village street during a temple car festival. A decorated ratha/chariot with carved pillars and garlands shelters two deity murti figures, with a red and white striped umbrella on each side. A large framed portrait on a stand beside the right umbrella shows a man in a white hat and dark clothing. Men in white shirts walk behind the ratha, and a man in a green checked shirt with a camera on his shoulder stands near a wooden platform piled with flowers and pink cloth. Women in bright saris, including one in orange and green stripes with palms pressed together, stand in the front row with hands folded in prayer. Thatched huts, palm trees and a parked white van line the background, with an oil lamp on the platform.2006-10-16A dense evening crowd of devotees gathers outdoors among large trees, many women and girls with long braided hair decorated with flower garlands, plus children and a man in a light blue striped shirt in the foreground. At right, an ornate golden ratha or palanquin canopy is decorated with yellow and orange marigold garlands and a colourful umbrella, with a small flame visible near the crowd. Some people wear white clothing, saffron and orange saris, and yellow and pink outfits. A date stamp and copyright overlay sit in the lower right corner.2006-10-16October 16 20062006-10-16