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A photograph of an outdoor ritual at a decorated shrine with a golden pillar and floral garlands overhead. A man with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a white kurta and an orange shawl draped over his shoulders, holds a flaming lamp over a tray of fruit and sweets. A row of uniformed schoolchildren in blue and white watches from behind a low hedge, and several women in saris stand at left beside a golden-panelled screen. Trees, a playground and a fenced area appear in the background.

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A photograph of a procession ratha decorated with garlands of white jasmine and red flowers. A man in white ritual clothes with an orange saffron shawl stands at the left, holding a camphor flame or aarti lamp toward the deity on the right. The deity murti wears a golden crown-like headdress, gold ornaments and a heavy flower garland. Behind the ratha, a crowd of schoolchildren in blue uniforms and women in saris watches, with trees and a playground in the background. The orange saffron shawl and white clothing are the clearest cues for the man, but his face is not visible and his identity cannot be confirmed from appearance, so this is an aarti on a procession ratha.2006-10-31A photograph of a temple ratha procession in Chennai. In the foreground a man in a white dhoti and shirt with an orange shawl over his shoulder stands on the chariot, holding a small lamp or pot toward two golden deity murtis on the right. The deity murtis are adorned with white and red flower garlands, jewelled necklaces and ornate crowns; one is dressed in blue and white cloth. On the plate below sit fruit and offerings, and behind the chariot a line of schoolchildren in blue and white uniforms watches. A large fire burns at the back, beside a playground and trees. The scene is consistent with an aarti at a ratha yatra procession.2006-10-31A photograph of an outdoor homa or fire ritual under a corrugated metal roof. A man with long dark hair and an orange robe holds a brass plate of burning flame aloft with both hands, rudraksha mala beads around his neck. Around the fire pit, which is bordered with marigold and pink flower garlands, several people in orange and white sit in prayer with palms joined. Trees, parked vehicles and a seated audience in the background complete the scene.2008-11-11 +1 copiesA man in a white kurta with an orange shawl over one shoulder raises a lit oil lamp toward the golden deity murti pair of a ratha procession on a wooden platform. The two golden metal murtis wear blue and white garments, heavy silver necklaces, floral crowns and thick garlands of white and red flowers. Below, a brass plate holds bananas, fruit and offerings. Behind them, a line of school children in blue uniforms stands with hands folded in a garden with trees and a playground.2006-10-31Outdoor temple procession scene in light rain beneath a large tree. In the centre, a man in white dhoti and shirt with an orange-saffron shawl over his shoulders holds a lamp of flames toward a man in white, performing aarti near a small brass deity murti and kalasha on a wooden side table with flower petals. To the right, a bearded man in white robes holds a tray. Behind them a golden ornate ratha/chariot decorated with pink and white garlands carries a deity murti, with a person in white near it. Onlookers, many women in saris and children, stand crowded along the left side. A cauldron of fire is visible in the foreground. The image is a photograph.2006-10-30October 30 20062006-10-30Outdoors on bare earth under a tree, a fire homa is being performed inside a square enclosure of yellow-painted bricks with a bright flame rising from the centre. A young man in orange saffron robes and a rudraksha mala sits on a low wooden seat, holding a brass tray with a red offering while an attendant in white dhoti and shawl sits beside the fire. Around the fire, many children and teenagers sit closely on the ground, several in white clothes and others in yellow, pink and purple. Some adults stand in white behind them. A small brass pot and offerings lie near the fire. The scene suggests a homa or yagna ritual during a children's residential programme.2006-05-05Outdoors under a leafy tree canopy, a long-haired man in an orange saffron robe and a rudraksha mala holds a lit flame over a brass dish, with a bright fire burning at his hands. Behind him, a large crowd stands closely, many women in white and cream saris and men in white kurtas, several with palms pressed together in namaste. Some devotees hold items near the foreground, and a white cloth covers the ground in front of the group. The orange-robed figure appears to be a probable Swamiji by appearance cues: long swept-back hair, saffron clothing and a rudraksha mala, performing an aarti-style flame offering before the gathered devotees.2005-07-21Outdoor ritual under a large spreading banyan tree with a crowd of devotees seated on the ground. A central figure in white dhoti and white shawl with a white turban, long hair, and a white flower garland with red blossoms raises a large brass aarti lamp overhead, while a row of brass oil lamps, a plate of offerings, and a flower-decorated kalasha sit on a patterned mat. Many devotees in white clothes press palms together, and several women wear orange saffron saris. A red and gold canopy hangs from the upper right. The image shows a ritual aarti in progress, with a flower-garlanded deity murti visible at the left edge.2005-01-01Outdoor homa or fire ritual at an ashram courtyard with palm trees and orange-walled buildings behind. A central figure in saffron-orange robes and a long beaded necklace holds a lit oil lamp aloft over a white stone fire pit, while another man in white sits beside him. Brass vessels and a kalasha-style pot sit on the platform, and orange-and-green offerings lie to the right. Around the pit, dozens of men and boys in white dhotis and kurtas sit in rows, many with lanyards, with a few Western-looking men among them, watching the ceremony.2010-12-16December 24 20062006-12-24 +1 copiesJuly 02 20042004-07-02