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A temple puja before a gilded deity murti adorned with red, yellow and white flower garlands and an ornate crown. Two priests stand at either side holding a silver aarti lamp with a flame toward the image. Left, a priest with bare upper body, sacred thread and a pink cloth wears a brown ceremonial cap. Right, a priest in a beige shawl and gold-trimmed cap holds the lamp. In the foreground, a seated older man with white-streaked hair, glasses, a white-striped forehead and a rudraksha mala bows with palms pressed together. Gold and red decorative temple panels frame the scene.

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July 18 20132013-07-18A photo of a decorated deity murti in a temple setting, adorned with heavy gold jewellery, a tall ornate crown and a gold-and-red garland of marigolds and roses. Two men attend it: on the left a bare-backed priest in a white dhoti with a red-and-gold cloth and a red turban, lifting a thread or rope toward the figure; on the right a man in a light-coloured wrap and a golden hat leans in, hand raised toward the murti. The background is an ornate gold-leaf arch with a green curtain.2013-07-18Three shirtless priests perform an aarti before a richly decorated deity murti with a gold crown and flower garlands in red, yellow and white. The standing priest on the left holds a silver aarti plate with a lit flame, wearing a pink and white dhoti, a brown woven hat and a red-and-green garland. The priest on the right, in a cream shawl and tan hat, extends his hand toward the flame. In front, a seated priest with a tied-back head and white body markings scatters petals or flowers. A silver lamp stand with a metal microphone stand sits at left against gold temple ornamentation.2013-07-18A temple ritual scene in front of a golden shrine draped with red and pink fabric. A priest with bare upper body, wearing a white dhoti with a maroon and gold border, a pink shawl and a red-orange turban, holds a silver oil lamp toward a golden-crowned bronze deity murti. The murti is heavily adorned with garlands of yellow, red, purple and white flowers and gold jewellery. A second priest in a cream shawl and green turban, with a white forehead mark, holds the other side of the lamp. A seated devotee with hair in a bun is in the lower right corner, and a painted statue stands at the right edge.2013-07-18Photograph of a temple ritual before a gilded shrine where a decorated deity murti stands, wearing an ornate crown, layered gold and red-jewelled necklaces and green-and-gold garments. Two priests in front of the murti: the left one, seen from behind, wears a white dhoti with a deep blue-and-gold border and a pink shawl over the shoulder, with a bare back and a reddish-gold cap; the right one, also seen from behind, wears a grey-beige shawl and a grey-gold cap, holding the garland-draped murti area. Long garlands of marigolds, roses and white flowers in red, yellow and white hang across the murti, and a polished silver kalasha-like vessel stands at the left edge. Scene suggests puja or alankaram, with no visible a person candidate present.2013-07-18July 18 20132013-07-18July 18 20132013-07-18December 05 20142014-12-05A photograph of a temple ritual in front of a gilded deity murti with a golden face, ornate crown and yellow-and-gold garments, decorated with heavy garlands of white jasmine, red and yellow flowers. A shaved-headed priest in a rust-coloured turban and bare upper body with a white dhoti and pink-trimmed cloth works at the murti, placing a garland. Beside him a man in a cream-coloured kurta, cream turban-style head covering and white dhoti holds a garland and makes an offering. An elderly woman with grey hair and white marks on her forehead and arms stands in the foreground, and another man in white stands at the right edge. Gold temple pillars and a red backdrop frame the scene.2013-07-18A photograph inside a temple shrine showing a richly decorated deity murti. A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with a pink and gold sash, wearing a copper-coloured turban, stands at left and reaches up to place a garland. Beside him a second priest in a grey-green shawl, bare-chested with white sacred markings on his forehead and a green cap, lifts a flower garland. A woman in a pink sari with a white shawl stands in the lower left foreground. Behind them are gold-and-silver metal panels, a pink curtain and a gilded alcove with carved birds. The scene reads as abhishekam or garland decoration of a deity murti. No person here is identifiable as a person.2013-07-18July 18 20132013-07-18Two priests in a temple sanctum decorate a golden deity murti with garlands. The murti wears a tall gold crown, a heavy gold necklace with red and white stones, and a yellow silk garment. Garlands of yellow marigolds, red roses and white jasmine drape over it. On the left, a bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with a pink shoulder cloth and a red-and-gold turban extends his arm to adjust the garland. On the right, a man in a grey-beige shawl, a wide-brimmed gold-embroidered hat and a gold-bordered brown dhoti reaches toward the crown. Behind them, a pink curtain frames the altar, with gold arches and carved gold panels.2013-07-18