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A photograph of a ritual initiation in a temple hall. A young boy kneels bare-chested with palms pressed together in namaste, a rudraksha mala around his neck. A man with long dreadlocks, wearing an orange-brown shawl, stands bare-chested and touches the boy's forehead with his fingers. Beside him, an attendant in a rudraksha mala and white dhoti with yellow border holds up a printed card showing a small deity image. Other men in white dhotis with yellow borders, a woman in an orange sari, and a child stand nearby. Overhead hangs a red floral canopy, and a brass lamp stand and a basket of yellow fruit are visible at right.

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May 24 20182018-05-24Photograph of a ritual initiation at an indoor hall with a red curtain and a golden trident (trishul) behind. A bare-chested young man in a white dhoti with gold borders, rudraksha malas and a sacred thread bends forward with his hands extended toward a shaved-headed boy receiving a blessing. A man in an orange-saffron robe with a heavy gold necklace and rudraksha beads holds white threads stretched over the head of a kneeling boy, while another man in orange guides them. A woman in a magenta sari and a bearded man with long swept-back hair in an orange robe with gold ornaments also take part. Several boys and young men with bare torsos and beaded necklaces watch or assist, and a striped colourful banner hangs on the wall. The scene suggests a Gayatri or Shiva deeksha initiation with ritual thread-tying.2017-02-15February 15 20172017-02-15February 15 20172017-02-15May 06 20182018-05-06A photo of a seated bearded man in a rudraksha-beaded orange robe, wearing a leopard-print headband and rudraksha malas, placing his hand on the head of an older grey-haired devotee bent forward in a white dhoti. Around them, orange-robed attendants with white tripundra markings hold the devotee steady, and one attendant holds a sheet of paper near his head while a white cord runs between hands. A silver-framed backdrop with embossed figures stands behind. Several people are present. The seated figure in the leopard-print headband is the appearance-based candidate for a person, seated and blessing a devotee in a ritual setting.2017-12-10A photograph of a ritual blessing in an indoor hall. A bare-chested man with long swept-back dark hair, a short beard, a gold necklace and an orange-saffron shawl reaches out to touch the forehead of a young seated devotee with long dark hair, who smiles and holds his own hands together. Behind them, a standing young man in an orange shawl and a rudraksha mala watches, a man in white ritual clothes with a yellow border and rudraksha malas holds a camera, and a man in white with a white forehead mark sits near the bottom. A woman in an orange sari with a red-and-white forehead mark stands at the upper right, and a gold pillar and white air-conditioning unit appear in the background. The swami figure with long hair and saffron shawl is a probable candidate for Swamiji, given his long swept-back hair, gold necklace and saffron shawl, and he is shown in the role of giving the blessing.2017-10-12A photograph of a ceremonial scene indoors. A bare-chested devotee with a white cloth wrapped over his eyes and head bows forward while two men in white dhotis with gold borders and rudraksha malas support and hold his shoulders and head. The man on the right wears a gold necklace and gold bangles and presses a hand to the devotee's head. On the far right in the foreground, a long-haired person with a beard, gold earrings and a gold necklace, wearing an orange-brown shawl, sits or stands with bare shoulders and faces the group, their clothing and profile partly visible. Behind them several other people in white and red head coverings are visible.2016-10-16A photograph of a deeksha initiation ritual in a hall. In the foreground a bare-backed devotee in white dhoti with gold border bends forward while a man in orange robes with rudraksha malas steadies his head and back. On the right, a bare-chested man with long swept-back dreadlocks, rudraksha malas, gold earrings and a gold necklace, wearing an orange wrap, reaches toward the devotee's head holding white cords. Several other men in orange and white dhotis stand behind, along with a golden ceremonial staff. The scene is a Vishesha Deeksha initiation. Visible people are about six, all in ritual dress.2018-01-13A photograph of a ritual blessing in a temple hall. A shirtless man with his head bowed is held and blessed by several men in white and gold-bordered dhotis. One man on the right wears a rudraksha mala and a white shawl with gold border and places his hand on the bowed man's head; another on the left in a white dhoti with a gold border and red sash grips his shoulder. A long-haired figure in a saffron-orange cloth and gold ornaments stands in the right foreground, while other participants in the background wear red and white eye bindings. Red curtains and garlands fill the background.2016-10-16A photograph of a ceremonial initiation or blessing. A man with long dreadlocks, a rudraksha mala around his neck and bracelets, and wearing a dark red sleeveless garment, places both hands on the head of a young boy who wears an orange cloth and a white thread. The man's dreadlocks are adorned with rudraksha beads. Behind them stand people in orange and white robes, one holding a silver staff, and a golden deity murti is partly visible. The man has a sacred mark on his forehead and appears to be bestowing a blessing.2017-07-11 +1 copiesA young shirtless boy with white cloth tied on his head bows forward while a bearded man with long dreadlocks, gold necklaces and gold bangles presses his palm on the boy's head in a blessing gesture. Behind them stand two men in orange cloths with rudraksha malas and gold necklaces, one with long hair and a red tilak on his forehead. The setting appears to be an indoor initiation ceremony with a maroon curtain behind. Ritual initiation scene.2017-02-15