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Night-time group ritual under a large white tent decorated with coloured string lights and hanging lanterns. Many seated participants sit cross-legged on striped multicoloured rugs, mostly bare-chested with white dhoti-style cloths, sandalwood or ash markings on their bodies, rudraksha-style beads and some wearing dark sunglasses. In the foreground a long-haired bare-chested man in black lower garments sits with his back to the camera, while an older man in a white wrap sits at left. Behind them a figure stands near hanging bells and a gold-toned decorative tree.

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December 02 20162016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02Night-time ritual gathering under a white tent with colourful hanging lamps and strings of lights. Many men sit cross-legged on a striped rainbow mat, mostly shirtless and wearing white ritual cloths, sacred thread cords over their shoulders and white ash markings on their skin. A man in the foreground wears dark glasses, a wristwatch and a black cloth, and a plastic water bottle sits on the mat. Older men in white dhotis sit at the right edge. A golden shrine canopy appears at the left. No one in this photo is identified as a person.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02December 07 20162016-12-07A large seated crowd of bare-chested men and some women in white dhotis and cloths, many wearing rudraksha malas and white vibhuti or sandalwood markings on their foreheads and chests, sit on a red floor covering with eyes closed or heads bowed in meditation. A few people in the foreground have hands folded or fingers to their faces. Several visible figures wear wraps and beads, but no single person in front is clearly a person; the shaved and bearded men in the middle and left are devotees. Many people are visible, with several more partially seen at the edges.2016-12-07A photograph of a large outdoor tent gathering at night, decorated with hanging colourful tassels, strings of lights and a green garland. Hundreds of mostly bare-chested male devotees sit cross-legged on colourful striped woven mats in rows, many wearing white dhotis and some with sacred threads and rudraksha necklaces, with orange ritual marks on their foreheads. Several attendants stand among them, one in a white dhoti pouring or adjusting items and another in brown clothing reaching forward. Participants hold and touch small ritual items, and an ornate golden throne or deity canopy stands at the far right beside a small seated figure. The scene suggests a mass ritual practice such as abhishekam or initiation seating.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02 +1 copiesDecember 02 20162016-12-02July 08 20172017-07-08 +1 copiesA large group of shirtless male participants sit cross-legged on colourful striped mats in a covered hall during an evening ritual. Many have white sacred ash or paste smeared across their chests, arms and faces, and several wear white cloths tied at the waist, white cords around the neck, and orange or saffron headbands with eye-shaped designs on their foreheads. Some participants hold small items in their hands and appear to be applying paste to each other. In the background a woman in a red sari stands near a red-draped platform, and ritual items are visible at the far side of the hall. Dim overhead lights and red and gold fabric decorations surround the scene.2016-12-02