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A photograph of a temple ritual hall with a corrugated roof and banana leaves, where several saffron-robed priests in orange dhotis and shawls, many wearing rudraksha malas, perform a ceremony. A bearded man in front, wearing an orange robe and a long gold-toned necklace, walks forward carrying nothing visible, while a priest on the left holds a ritual implement near a row of brass oil lamps and kalasha-like vessels set on a long reflective table. Women in white saris sit kneeling on the floor along the table with their hands folded, and a deity murti sits in an arched niche framed by a blue curtain and flower garlands. A stainless steel vessel wrapped in orange cloth stands in the foreground. Men in white and a few onlookers watch from behind.

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December 31 20082008-12-31A photograph of a temple ritual in an open-sided hall with a corrugated metal roof. In the foreground, several women in white saris with coloured borders sit on a woven mat, tending rows of brass oil lamps and a tall multi-tiered brass lamp, some with lit flames. Behind a long metal table, four young men stand in orange saffron shawls and white garments, several wearing orange and gold-coloured beaded garlands; one stands in white with an orange shawl at the far right. Seated devotees and onlookers fill the background, and paper decorations, hanging lanterns and a framed picture adorn the walls. Brass conch shells rest on the mat in front of the women.2008-12-24December 31 20082008-12-31December 27 20092009-12-27A photograph of a temple-style ritual courtyard under a corrugated roof hung with strings of pale leaf or paper decorations. Along a long table, several men in saffron-orange dhotis and shawls stand and lift tiered brass aarti lamps with lit flames. Facing them on the floor, a row of women in white saris sit before rows of brass vessels and oil lamps. Banana-trunk pillars with a blue cloth curtain frame the left side. In the foreground, devotees in orange and white sit and watch, one person photographing the scene. Lamp-lighting arati ceremony in progress.2008-12-31December 28 20082008-12-28 +1 copiesOutdoor covered hall during a ritual. Four young men stand behind a long metal table in orange saffron shawls over white clothes, hands in anjali, with rudraksha malas around their necks. Along the table lie rows of brass oil lamps, some lit, and brass bells. Six women in white saris sit on a mat in front of the table, hands folded in prayer, with large brass bowls near them. Behind, a seated crowd watches. Hanging decorations, toy-like ornaments and a wall board with photos and text frame the scene.2008-12-24A covered outdoor hall where four young men in saffron-orange shawls and white shirts stand behind a long metal-topped table, holding lit oil lamps and brass lamps. One man at the far right wears a white kurta with an orange shawl and holds a lamp. Several women in white saris with gold borders sit cross-legged on a mat in front, hands pressed together in prayer or seated beside rows of brass oil lamps and a brass bell. Behind them, a seated audience fills the hall, and a hanging mobile of small colourful figures decorates the ceiling. Paper decorations and a framed picture hang on the wall.2008-12-24A covered outdoor ritual hall during a festival, with strings of leaf festoons hanging from the corrugated roof. Several men in saffron-orange robes and orange shawls stand behind a long metal table, holding brass bells and lit oil lamps over the table. Rows of brass oil lamps and a tall multi-tiered lamp stand on the table, and more brass lamps are arranged on a cloth on the floor. Women in white clothes with orange sashes sit on the floor on the left, holding lamps and bells as they perform aarti. A seated group of devotees in orange and white clothes and garlands watches from the right, and a crowd of onlookers fills the background.2008-12-30Outdoor temple courtyard during a ritual performance. On the left, a large circular metal gong hangs beside a stone pillar decorated with silver tinsel. At center, a row of women in white saris sits cross-legged behind a long table laid with brass pots, lamps and ritual vessels. Behind them, four or five men in saffron-orange dhotis and shawls stand playing long brass horns and wind instruments in front of a shaded pavilion strung with orange and red garlands. A man in white dhoti and shirt stands at right beside a white-and-red painted doorway with a hanging brass bell. A red cloth hangs from a pole at left. Several spectators sit in the background.2008-12-24December 29 20082008-12-29December 31 20082008-12-31