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Outdoor Pongal ritual on a dirt floor under an open pavilion. A man in the foreground wears a red-and-gold turban, a heavy gold necklace and a white flower garland, standing before a kolam of white rice-flour designs ringed with marigold garlands. Behind him a line of people in orange and saffron robes stands with palms joined in anjali. Clay pots topped with pineapples, bunches of bananas, a brass lamp, a kalasha-like vessel, bundles of firewood and flower-decorated trays arranged on striped mats make up the offerings. Several women in saffron and children in orange stand among the devotees.

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January 14 20182018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14A photograph of a ritual at an open-sided pavilion. A bare-chested man in a maroon-red dhoti with a gold waist ornament, a red turban and a white-and-pink flower garland stands with hands folded in namaskar before a large flower-decorated altar covered in yellow and white marigolds and red roses. Behind him, several men in orange-saffron robes and rudraksha malas hold offerings, one holding a tray of red flowers. A woman in an orange sari stands at right holding a brass vessel near brass oil lamps. Bananas, a pineapple, coconut and brass bowls sit on striped mats in front, with a kolam drawn on the floor. A yellow banner with a bird emblem hangs at right. Several more people in orange and white stand in the background.2018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14 +1 copiesOutdoor ritual scene at a temple-like pavilion with a red-and-white striped frame above. A central figure in a maroon-brown robe, with a red turban, long garlands of white flowers and gold necklaces, stands with palms joined in namaskar, facing a ritual setup. Beside him, a man in orange robes and a bare upper body holds a brass tray of red flowers. A bare-chested sadhu in orange kneels at right, pouring petals from a plate onto the ground. Several women in orange saris stand behind, some holding objects. In front, a large flower-decorated square of white and yellow marigolds with red petals holds a raised ritual arrangement. Bananas, a kalasha-like pot with a pineapple and marigold garlands sit on a striped cloth, beside white kolam designs on the ground. A brass oil lamp stands at right beside a yellow and orange flag. Several people in orange and white stand behind on a red carpet, and devotees in orange line the left edge.2018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14Pongal celebration outdoors under an open pavilion at a temple site. A man in a maroon-brown dhoti and a red-and-white turban stands with palms joined in namaskar, wearing a long white flower garland and heavy gold-toned necklaces. Behind him, a line of devotees in saffron-orange robes and rudraksha malas stand with hands folded, and a white-clad man and women in colourful saris also join. Two women in orange saris on the right hold offering plates. On the ground, a kolam of white rangoli patterns is outlined in yellow marigold garlands. Clay pots filled with flowers, a pineapple, bananas, a brass lamp, and trays of rose petals and fruit sit on striped mats. Three stacked clay-brick hearths with sugarcane and flower decoration form the Pongal cooking area. Drummers in orange stand behind, and a striped ceremonial umbrella stands at the top. Roughly 25 to 30 people are visible.2018-01-14A Pongal ritual in an open-sided pavilion at an adheenam. On the sandy floor, clay pots with brass lids and yellow marigold garlands sit beside a white kolam rangoli design. A clay stove with a bronze pot is ringed by flowers. A standing man in a maroon dhoti and maroon shawl, wearing a long garland and gold necklaces, holds his hands together. Men in saffron cloth and rudraksha malas stand at the right, one tending brass lamps. Leaves on the left hold banana, fruit and sweets offerings. Women in saffron and white and children stand at the left edge. A saffron flag hangs on the right pillar.2018-01-14Outdoor ritual in a covered open-sided pavilion with a sandy ground. Sannyasis in saffron-orange robes sit on striped mats around a floral kolam drawn in white on the floor, edged with yellow marigold garlands, with brass kalasha pots, pineapples, bananas, and a flower-covered platform with an offering tray. A bare-chested priest in orange cloth with a rudraksha-style headband pours from a vessel at the right. A standing figure at left wears a maroon-brown robe with a tall red turban, long beaded mala and large ceremonial garland, and stands before a crowd of devotees, many in orange, some children with palms together, others in white dhotis and maroon saris. A brass oil lamp and a yellow ceremonial flag stand at right.2018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14Outdoor pavilion with a red floor cloth, leafy bamboo and mango-leaf decorations, and a mud-plastered ground. A man in a maroon-brown dhoti with a saffron-red turban and a marigold garland stands at left, while saffron-robed attendants and a bare-chested man in orange cloth tend the ritual area. Several clay pots with leaf-wrapped rims sit on flower-strewn mud platforms beside a white kolam design and bananas, fruit and offerings on banana leaves. At right, a decorated altar holds flowers, oil lamps and a row of silver-toned items, with saffron-and-white triangular banners hanging on the posts.2018-01-14January 14 20182018-01-14