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Photograph of a Durga Puja setting inside a decorated temple shrine at Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA. A shirtless devotee with long dark hair and a rudraksha mala raises a lit oil lamp (aarti) toward a large Durga murti with many arms, yellow-and-gold ornaments and a lion mount. Beside him a second person in orange clothing kneels on a striped mat, and a third figure in orange sits near offerings and papers. Other murtis of Ganesha and a seated deity, marigold garlands, a red curtain, string lights and small decorative figures on a yellow-draped altar complete the scene. Caption reads Navaratri 2021, Day 8 - Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja.

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A photograph of a Navaratri Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja inside a temple hall decorated with red drapes, string lights and garlands. A central Durga murti with a golden crown, many arms and a lion mount is adorned with marigold garlands, flanked by Ganesha and other deity figures and a golden lion throne. In the foreground, a bare-chested man in an orange cloth points upward and gestures during the ritual. Beside him sit two seated figures in orange and saffron clothing; one has a long beard and rudraksha beads, the other a shaved head and orange robe. Offerings, a kalasha-style brass bowl and sheets of paper lie on a striped rug. The scene is labelled Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA, Navaratri 2021, Day 8 - Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja.2021-10-14Photograph inside a decorated temple hall during Navaratri Day 8 Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja. A standing man at left in orange-brown cloth with a red shawl raises a red cloth overhead. Two seated priests in orange robes sit on a striped floor mat, one with a white beard and rudraksha mala. In the centre, a golden framed portrait on a throne, garlanded with marigolds, sits beside a shrine with a multi-tiered golden structure. At right, a large golden deity murti of Durga, with multiple arms and a red-and-gold crown, rides a lion and is garlanded in yellow and red flowers. Ganesha and other deity murtis stand on golden seats. A yellow-clothed altar displays small clay figures and painted toys at left. Red drapes and string lights hang behind. Caption text reads Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA and Navaratri 2021, Day 8 - Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja.2021-10-14A photograph of a Durga puja set up in a temple room with red draped walls and strings of lights. On the right stands a large, richly decorated Durga murti with multiple arms, a crown and a golden halo, beside a lion and a demon figure, with lesser deity murtis and marigold garlands around the altar. On the left, a bare-chested priest in a tiger-striped shawl and orange cloth raises a red cloth above a seated man in white dhoti and orange garment with a rudraksha mala. A shaved-headed man in white sits on a striped mat with ritual brass lamps and offerings in front. A printed portrait of a white-clothed seated figure garlanded with flowers appears on a small shrine at left. The caption reads Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA, Navaratri 2021, Day 8 - Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja.2021-10-14October 14 20212021-10-14October 14 20212021-10-14October 14 20212021-10-14A photograph of a Durga puja shrine decorated with gold-framed arches, a red drapery backdrop and string lights. At the centre a large, multi-armed deity murti of Durga, adorned with red and yellow garlands, stands on a golden lion throne above a smaller figure. Flanking deity murtis of Ganesha, Lakshmi and Saraswati, each garlanded, stand in gold arches. Three people sit in the foreground facing the shrine with hands folded in prayer: one with long blond hair and bare shoulders, one with dark hair seen from behind wearing an orange cloth, and one bearded man in an orange shawl with rudraksha beads. Brass plates of offerings, sweets and fruit lie before them. Overlay text reads Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA, Navaratri 2021, Day 8 - Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja.2021-10-14A photograph of a temple puja at Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA, during Navaratri 2021, Day 8, Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja. On the left, a priest in orange and white stands beside a tall tiered brass lamp of many lit oil lamps, holding a bell and a ritual vessel, with a rudraksha mala around his neck. On the right, a large golden-crowned Durga murti with many arms and a red and gold garland stands beside a lion vehicle, with smaller deity murtis of Ganesha and a seated figure, and a bearded figure in a turban and white garment garlanded in the foreground. Red draped cloth, golden pillars and colourful fairy lights form the backdrop.2021-10-14A photograph inside a decorated temple shrine during Navaratri Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja. Two priests sit on a striped rug facing the altar: the foreground priest has long blond hair, a bare chest and an orange cloth, and the seated priest beside him wears an orange garment with a rudraksha mala. Before them stand brass and gold puja vessels, a banana-leaf offering with white flowers and bananas, and a pink flower heap. Behind them a large deity murti of Durga with multiple arms and a gold-framed backdrop is flanked by Ganesha and other goddess figures draped in red and yellow marigold garlands, with a Saraswati figure on the right holding a veena. Red curtains and string lights hang overhead.2021-10-14October 14 20212021-10-14A photograph of a Durga Puja setting inside a shrine decorated with red drapes and string lights. A large golden-framed deity murti of Durga with many arms stands at centre, flanked by smaller murtis of Ganesha and other goddesses on pedestals with marigold garlands. Three people sit before the altar: a bare-chested man with light hair in orange cloth praying with hands folded at left, a man in orange cloth facing the altar at centre performing the puja, and a bearded man in orange robes with a rudraksha-style necklace at right. Brass plates of fruit, sweets, flowers and offerings sit on a green leaf before them, and a fire pit and lamps are visible. A caption reads Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA, Navaratri 2021, Day 8 - Mahashtami Durga Sandhi Puja.2021-10-14A photograph of a Durga Puja shrine inside Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA. A standing priest with a shaved head, wearing an orange and striped cloth, holds a multi-tiered brass aarti lamp with lit flames toward a richly decorated deity murti of Durga, flanked by golden arches, garlands and clay-style figures of Ganesha and other goddesses. A second man with a beard and dark robe sits at the left edge. Offerings of fruit, flowers and brass vessels lie on the floor in front, under strings of lights and red drapery.2021-10-14