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A crowd of devotees wades into a river during a shahi snan bathing procession at the Kumbh Mela. In the centre, a smiling man in a wet dark red-brown dhoti-style garment stands waist-deep in brownish water, arms raised with palms open, wearing a heavy gold necklace with a large gold pendant and rudraksha-style red-brown beaded bracelets. Around him, devotees in orange and white ritual clothes wear gold necklaces and red malas, while colourful green, orange and red umbrellas are held overhead against a clear blue sky and a pink temple structure.

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A photograph of a river bathing ritual at a sacred ghat. In the foreground, a central man in a deep red-brown dhoti-style cloth, wet and smiling, raises both arms overhead, with heavy gold-toned ornate necklaces and a large gold pendant on his chest and beaded red bracelets on his wrists. Around him stand devotees wading in shallow water: a woman in white with a red border and a red shawl, men in saffron-orange robes with rudraksha-style beaded necklaces, and others in maroon. Brightly coloured umbrellas in green, orange and red are held aloft over the group. Behind them is a pink-and-cream temple gateway under a clear blue sky. People in the crowd are partly visible and the central figure is clearly the focus.2016-04-22A photograph of a shahi snan procession at the Kumbh Mela, with a man in wet dark red-brown robes standing waist-deep in shallow water, smiling and raising one arm while holding a red and gold ornate ceremonial item. He wears heavy gold necklaces with a large gold pendant and red beaded armbands. Around him, devotees wade in the water: a man in white dhoti with gold border and a long gold garland, a woman in white with a red shawl and gold necklaces, and a bald man in orange robes with gold necklaces. Colourful umbrellas in red, green, and yellow are held overhead by the crowd, with an orange temple spire and trees in the background under a clear blue sky. Scattered flower petals float on the water.2016-04-22A photograph of a Shahi Snan bathing procession at the Kumbh Mela in Ujjain, with devotees wading waist-deep in a river under a bright blue sky. In the centre, a man in a deep red-maroon dhoti and draped cloth wears heavy gold ceremonial necklaces and a large gold pendant, with red and maroon beaded bracelets on both arms, arms raised high as he cheers. Around him, several people in orange and saffron robes raise their hands in joy, a woman in white and red stands at left, and a man in white with gold border dhoti is also raising his arms. Brightly coloured umbrellas in orange, yellow and green are held above the procession, and a small temple spire is visible in the background.2016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22Photo of a group of devotees bathing in water under a bright blue sky, arms raised in celebration. In the centre, a smiling man wears a wet red-orange ochre cloth wrapped over his body, with heavy gold necklaces, a gold pendant and red beaded bracelets on both arms. Beside him on the left, a man in white dhoti and white shirt with a gold border, also wearing gold necklaces, raises his hands. Behind them, several sadhus in saffron and orange robes with gold chains and red malas stand in the water, and a woman in red and a woman on the left smile. Red and green umbrellas with fringed edges rise above the crowd, and a pink-roofed temple tower appears in the background.2016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22Outdoor photograph of a shahi snan bathing procession at a river ghat under a clear blue sky. In the centre, a smiling man with long swept-back dark hair stands waist-deep in greenish water, wearing a red-brown wrap and a heavy gold ceremonial necklace with a temple-shaped pendant, his hands extended over the water. Around him devotees crowd in the water: a bald sadhu in orange robes with a garland, a man in white dhoti with gold trim, and a figure in a red sash at right. Behind them, sadhus hold tall red and green-fringed ceremonial umbrellas and poles, with a temple tower visible in the background.2016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22Outdoor photo of a river-bank ritual at a Kumbh Mela. Several people stand waist-deep in shallow greenish water under a clear blue sky. In the centre, a person in a deep maroon-red robe with a large gold pendant and beaded necklaces cups water in both hands, which pours out between the fingers. Around them, devotees hold up green, orange and red decorated umbrellas. On the left, a man in a white dhoti and sash with gold chains and a woman in white stand beside another woman in a dark red shawl. On the right, saffron-clad sannyasis with shaved heads and gold necklaces smile, and a bare-armed devotee in a maroon wrap reaches up. Pink temple architecture appears in the background.2016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22