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A young girl in a green and red silk sari with gold jewellery and marigold garlands sits before a decorated altar with a Ganesha murti and a lion-faced deity murti. A shaved-headed priest in an orange-red dhoti with a rudraksha mala and white ash markings on his arms and forehead gestures toward her with his hands, beside a silver bowl and small brass vessels. The setting is an open-sided pandal with flowers in red and yellow, indicating a puja or ritual blessing.

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October 02 20142014-10-02A photograph of a ritual at a temple-like open pavilion. A bare-chested priest in a maroon dhoti with a gold border and a red beaded mala stands at left, holding a long pointed ritual implement toward a seated girl. The girl wears a green silk sari with a red border, layered yellow marigold garlands, red flower garlands, a jewelled necklace and a jewelled head ornament. Behind her are large deity murtis with a Ganesha figure and a lion-faced form draped in garlands, with a pink lotus and a silver vessel in front. Two people are visible, the priest and the girl.2014-10-02A photograph of a devotional worship scene at a covered outdoor shrine. A bare-chested priest in a rust-red dhoti with a yellow-edged shawl and a rudraksha mala stands at left, extending his hand toward a young girl seated at right. The girl wears a green sari with a red border, a silver necklace, jewelled headpiece and bindi, and is garlanded with yellow marigolds and red flowers. Behind her stand a pink-faced Ganesha murti and a Durga murti with a lion mount, all decorated with marigold garlands, and a brass vessel sits in the foreground. The priest's chest and face bear white ash markings. The scene suggests a puja or blessing.2014-10-02A priest in a rust-red dhoti with a yellow sash and rudraksha mala stands at left, marked with white ash on his arms and chest, pointing toward a deity murti. Beside him a young girl in a green and maroon sari with gold jewellery and a yellow marigold garland sits before a large ganesha-form murti with a pink trunk and pink lotus, alongside a lion-faced figure with a red-and-yellow garland. Behind them stand white ornate deity figures draped in yellow and red marigold garlands. A metal bowl sits at the foot of the murti and green foliage fills the background.2014-10-02A photograph of a ritual at an outdoor pandal. A shaved-headed priest in an orange-brown dhoti with a gold-bordered cloth and a red beaded mala performs an offering with a long ritual stick toward a large white and pink Ganesha murti adorned with yellow marigold garlands and red flowers. Beside him a young girl in a green and red silk saree, gold jewellery, and a gold headpiece sits wearing yellow garlands. A pink lotus rests near the deity, a steel vessel stands on the ground, and a lion or tiger figure with an open mouth is at the right edge. Green plants and a purple hoop frame the scene.2014-10-02A priest in a rust-red dhoti and shawl with a rudraksha mala and bare shoulders performs a ritual at a shrine beside a young girl in a green dress with yellow and red flower garlands. The girl holds a pink lotus while seated before a deity murti decorated with yellow marigold garlands and red flowers, with a lion-faced figure and an elephant-headed Ganesha image nearby. Steel bowls, brass vessels and an incense stick sit on the table under a corrugated roof.2014-10-02A photograph of a Navaratri-style puja under an open shelter. A bare-chested priest in an orange-brown dhoti with a gold-edged cloth over his shoulder, a rudraksha mala and sacred ash on his forehead, stretches both hands toward a girl's head in blessing. The girl sits in a green sari with a red border, gold jewellery, a crown-like headpiece and a yellow marigold garland. Behind them stand deity murtis with yellow and red flower garlands, including an elephant-headed figure and a fierce lion-faced figure. A silver vessel rests on the ground nearby.2014-10-02A young woman in a green sari with a red border sits before a large goddess murti adorned with yellow marigold garlands and red flowers, with a lion figure beside her. A man in a rust-orange dhoti and shawl, with a rudraksha mala and white tilak on his forehead and arms, stands at left placing his hands on her garlanded shoulder, appearing to perform a blessing or ritual. A tin-roofed open pavilion and potted plants form the setting. Yellow and red flower garlands dominate the scene.2014-10-02A photograph of a priest in saffron-red dhoti and rudraksha mala performing a puja beside a seated young girl in a green sari with red border and a yellow-and-red flower garland. He wears white vibhuti marks on his forehead and arms and holds a silver bell and a ritual staff toward her. Behind them stand colourful deity murtis of Ganesha in pink with a yellow garland and other figures in garlands, with silver and brass vessels, kumkum bowls and a red cloth on a low platform under trees.2014-10-02A young girl in a green silk sari with a gold-bordered pallu sits on a patterned cloth before a deity murti with a large lion face and a pink-and-white Ganesha figure behind her. Yellow marigold garlands with red flowers hang around her neck and shoulders, and she wears a tiara, a gold necklace and bangles. A shaved-headed man in an orange-red dhoti and shawl, with a rudraksha mala and white markings on his forehead and arms, bends forward and touches her feet while a silver vessel stands nearby. A corrugated roof, palm plants and a yellow vehicle are visible in the open courtyard.2014-10-02Outdoor ritual under a corrugated roof beside a bright pink-faced Ganesha murti and a lion-faced deity murti. A young man in a rust-red and gold-bordered cloth, bare-chested with white sandal markings on his arms, holds a small dish and applies a yellow paste to the forehead of a young girl. She wears a green silk blouse and skirt, heavy yellow marigold garlands with red flower strands, gold jewellery and a gold crown. Steel bowls, a small brass lamp and offering items sit on a table in the foreground. This appears to be a puja or abhishekam-style blessing.2014-10-02A young girl in a green sari with a yellow and red marigold garland sits before a large deity murti with a lion-faced figure and a Ganesha-like head behind her. A man with a shaved head, bare torso with white markings, an orange-brown dhoti and a long rudraksha-style mala feeds her a sweet from his fingers. Brass vessels, offerings and a small oil lamp sit on a table at left, with a red-roofed shelter overhead.2014-10-02