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Outdoors among palm trees, a large rectangular fire pit lined with red earth is filled with white ash and sprinkled with yellow flower petals. Behind a white rope barrier, a crowd of devotees stands with hands pressed together in namaskar, many women in white and pastel saris and men in white dhotis and kurtas. A few figures in saffron or orange robes stand near the pit, and one man in saffron kneels at its edge with ritual items, while a man in white stands beside him. Piles of charred logs lie to the right, and white kolam or rangoli lines mark the ground around the pit.

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Outdoor fire-ritual scene beneath tall coconut palms. A long rectangular pit of white ash runs through reddish-brown earth, bordered by a raised earthen edge, with a small kalasha-style pot and offerings placed at its head. A man in a saffron/orange robe stands at the centre holding a tall staff, flanked by people in white dhotis and white garments, some wearing saffron shawls. A row of women in white and cream saris with blue and orange borders on the left stand with palms pressed together in anjali. Stacked firewood sits at the right edge. Several onlookers watch from behind a rope barrier and a tent canopy.2008-12-31December 31 20082008-12-31Outdoor ritual beside a long rectangular earthen trench lined with white ash or powder, with a small brass kalasha and a lit offering set at its head. Dozens of devotees stand along both sides in white and cream dhotis, saris and kurtas, many with palms pressed together in namaskar. A man in a saffron-orange robe kneels at the trench's edge with a vessel, while a woman in orange and another in a red and white sari stand near a tall ceremonial staff. Coconut palms and a pile of cut firewood frame the scene under bright daylight.2008-12-31December 31 20082008-12-31Outdoors under a bright sky and palm trees, a long rectangular trench of white-hot embers or ash is being raked by men in white clothes with long wooden poles, while a crowd of devotees stands behind a white rope barrier. Many women wear white sarees with yellow borders, and a man in a bright lime-green kurta with a lanyard stands at the front. Tents with white canopies and red-and-white bunting line the background. A metal drum with a red cloth cover is at the right edge. The scene appears to be a fire-walking or ember-ritual preparation during a festival.2008-12-31Outdoor ritual at a sandy ground beside tall coconut palms, with a long rectangular pit filled with white ash or flowers as the centre. Along the left, a line of women in white and cream saris with pale blue and orange borders stand with palms pressed together in namaste. On the right, a standing figure in orange robes with a red-and-white garland and a rudraksha-style necklace holds a brass vessel near the pit, flanked by men in white dhotis and shirts and a second figure in orange sari-like robes. Small brass pots and a small deity murti sit on a low platform at the pit's edge. Stacked logs lie at right, and a white canopy and bunting appear in the background, with a crowd of onlookers behind. Outdoor ritual scene; the figure in orange with the garland is a visible candidate but his appearance is uncertain.2008-12-31Outdoor photo of a fire-walking ritual on bare red earth beside a row of tall palm trees and a white tented structure. A man in a white shirt and dark trousers with a rudraksha-style mala walks barefoot through a long pit of glowing embers, hands pressed together in prayer. Beside him a bare-chested man in white clothing leans forward, arms extended in guidance, and a drummer at right plays a barrel drum. A large crowd of devotees in white kurtas, white dhotis, saris in red, yellow and orange, and a woman in a red sari with a grey shawl stands along the edges, many watching in silence. A small red bucket and a brass pot sit at the pit's edge.2008-12-31December 31 20082008-12-31December 31 20082008-12-31December 31 20082008-12-31A photograph of a fire-walk ritual held outdoors among tall palm trees under a bright sky. A long rectangular pit of glowing embers and white ash runs down the center, with smoke rising from it. Devotees line both sides, many in white dhotis, white kurtas and white saris, some in saffron or yellow. A man in a white shirt and white dhoti stands at the pit edge holding a long wooden pole, apparently raking the embers, while others nearby watch with folded hands. A woman in a white top with a braid stands in the foreground with bangles. Thatched structures and a few onlookers appear in the background.2008-12-31December 31 20082008-12-31