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Night photograph of an outdoor ghat ceremony in Varanasi with a large crowd seated on the steps. Several standing priests in white dhoti-style clothing raise lamps or arati flames beneath a row of arches draped with pale fabric. Small oil lamps glow on a raised platform in front, with red flags on poles at the right. Many seated devotees, including women in saris and men in white, face the ceremony. Strings of small lamps hang overhead.

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May 20 20142014-05-20April 17 20112011-04-17Night-time outdoor ritual on a riverbank under a decorated canopy with marigold garlands and carved wooden pillars. Seated on a green cloth, a man in saffron-orange robes and a rudraksha mala sits facing a large crowd of devotees, many in orange or white. A brass trident-like staff stands upright at the centre. To the right, a draped red-covered platform holds a decorated deity murti with floral garlands and offerings. Brass vessels, bowls of food, and oil lamps lie on the cloth in front. Floodlights illuminate the sandy bank and water beyond.2014-05-20May 14 20142014-05-14July 27 20142014-07-27May 20 20142014-05-20May 20 20142014-05-20Evening aarti at a riverbank ghat with a crowd of devotees in white and red clothing seated on steps. A bare-chested man with orange-marked forehead and an orange-and-saffron garland sits centrally before a small ornate deity murti set on a raised platform draped with a patterned cloth. Two men on either side hold large flaming oil lamps on tall trident-topped stands, and a man in white dhoti at left holds a lamp. Devotees in white and red shawls sit with hands folded in prayer, and a red wooden boat-like structure stands behind. Dusk light falls on the water.2014-07-27Night outdoor ritual on a riverbank with a large seated crowd on a green mat before a bright fire pit with a homa or yagna. A standing figure in the centre wears a saffron-orange robe with a gold-patterned shawl, a gold necklace and a garland, holding a ritual implement and offering flowers near the fire. Seated devotees in orange and white, many with red shawls and rudraksha malas, sit in rows; some hold their palms together. Brass vessels sit on the mat beside the flames, and lit lamps and city lights line the water behind.2014-05-20Night-time outdoor fire ritual on a riverside ghat. A large crowd of devotees in orange and saffron robes sits cross-legged on green mats in rows, many with hands pressed in prayer. In the centre, a man in a saffron-red garment with a bare upper body and gold-patterned cloth stands facing the fire. At right, two shaven-headed priests in orange robes sit behind a draped red-orange platform holding ritual items and floral garlands. Bright floodlights illuminate the scene from above while standing onlookers line the far embankment.2014-05-20May 20 20142014-05-20May 20 20142014-05-20