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A photograph of a seated man with long dreadlocks, a full beard and a bare upper body wrapped in a red-brown shawl, wearing layered rudraksha malas and a gold necklace. He holds a short rod or staff in one hand and extends his other arm toward a young woman on the left who holds up a small white printed form. Behind him, several men in white dhotis with gold borders and bare torsos stand with hands folded in prayer, and a devotee wearing a rudraksha mala looks on. Ornate silver-and-gold ceremonial staffs stand at the right edge. Faces are marked with white and red ritual paste. The setting appears to be a Shiva Deeksha initiation darshan.

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May 06 20182018-05-06A photograph of a darshan blessing in an indoor hall. A bearded man with long dreadlocks, wearing a red-orange shawl over a bare chest and a dense rudraksha mala, stands at right with one hand extended onto the crown of a seated person's head, whose grey hair is visible at lower centre. At left, a hand holds up a small printed card with a figure drawing toward him. Behind them, several bare-chested men in white dhotis with white and vibhuti-marked foreheads stand with hands clasped in prayer, and a silver ceremonial staff rises at upper right.2018-05-06 +1 copiesMay 06 20182018-05-06A photograph of a ceremonial initiation scene. A man with long dreadlocked hair, a beard, and white ash marks on his forehead sits at right, wearing a rust-red shawl and a rudraksha mala, with one hand resting on the head of a kneeling devotee below. Beside him stand bare-chested male devotees in white dhotis with mala necklaces and ash-marked bodies, and a standing woman in a white top at left holds up a small printed paper with a figure drawn on it. Older men and onlookers stand in the background, and a microphone stand and silver ceremonial pillar appear at right.2018-05-06May 06 20182018-05-06 +1 copiesA photograph of a Shiva Deeksha darshan. A bearded man with long dreadlocked hair, wearing a red-brown shawl and dense rudraksha malas, extends his right hand toward the wet hair of a young person at lower left, who has a white-marked forehead. Behind him, several bare-chested men wear white dhotis with gold borders and white body markings, and a woman with a red floral headpiece stands near brass ceremonial staffs at right. The scene appears to be an initiation blessing in a temple-like hall.2018-05-06May 06 20182018-05-06May 06 20182018-05-06Photograph of a long-haired man with dreadlocks and a short beard, bare-chested with an orange-rust shawl draped over his shoulders and a rudraksha mala around his neck, seated in a red velvet chair with ornate gold carving. He places his right hand on the crown of a dark-haired woman seated before him, touching her head in blessing while holding a small card. Behind them a man in white watches, and blurred figures sit in the background. Visible cues include the long dreadlocks, rudraksha mala and orange-rust shawl, consistent with the a person candidate, who is performing a blessing on a devotee.2018-04-13Photograph of a crowded ritual scene in which a bare-chested sannyasi with long matted dreadlocks and a rudraksha mala stands at right, arm extended and eyes closed. In the foreground a devotee in white dhoti with a bowed head receives blessing; behind, several white-clad devotees hold up papers and folded cards. Crowd is close and tight, with red sandalwood or kumkum marks visible on some foreheads. Scene reflects darshan given to participants of a Shiva Deeksha.2018-05-06A photograph of a long-haired, bare-chested man in a saffron-orange shawl with long dreadlocks, seated on the left and extending his hand toward a younger man on the right who holds a sheet of white paper and wears rudraksha malas and a white garment. Behind them, a woman with a red bindi and a woman in white with rudraksha beads stand watching; a golden deity murti and a red curtain are visible. The scene appears to be a ceremonial exchange or blessing. The man in saffron is an appearance-based candidate for a person and is shown in person, while the others are devotees.2017-07-30A seated man in rust-brown ochre robes and a dense rudraksha mala with a white forehead mark holds up a small card in his right hand while a devotee in orange cloth with a braided back is seen from behind, a white thread stretched between them. A colourful red, green and purple canopy with fringed tassels and a silver-ornamented throne frame the scene. Swamiji (probable) is the seated figure in ochre robes with long swept-back hair and a rudraksha mala, presiding over the ritual; other visible people include the orange-clad devotee and a helper in orange at the right edge.2017-12-31 +1 copies