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A photograph of a Pongal cooking ritual in an outdoor temple courtyard. Two clay pots with red rims and green leaf wraps sit on yellow-painted bricks over a wood fire, with dry sticks and flames visible beneath them. A woman in a rust-orange sari crouches at right, stirring or tending the fire with a long ladle while holding a small metal bowl. Behind her, a woman in a pink and cream sari and a woman in a blue sari stand with hands joined, and a few people in white and yellow clothing sit on a stone ledge at left beside a brass pot. A decorated wooden seat with garlands of yellow and purple flowers appears at upper right, with smoke rising through the scene.

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Outdoor Pongal celebration in a courtyard: women in blue and saffron-yellow saris kneel around a clay pot of boiling milk on a small brick hearth, with sticks burning beneath it and sand spread on the ground. A kolam of purple flowers is drawn beside the fire, and a brass oil lamp with white flowers stands nearby. Seated devotees in orange and saffron clothing watch from the left, some with water bottles, and a man in white stands in the background near a shrine with brass lamps and garlanded altar items. A woman in a blue sari leans forward on the right, and an orange-robed person sits at the lower right edge.2017-01-14A photograph of a Pongal celebration in an outdoor temple courtyard. Two clay pots with green leaves tied at their necks sit on a sand-dusted floor over brick hearths with kindling sticks, as women in saris cook the traditional Pongal rice. A woman in a royal-blue sari with a red border kneels at the front right, and another in a blue sari kneels center, both tending the fire. A woman in a peach sari stands behind them, and a white-clad woman with flowers in her hair kneels at left. At the right, a seated man in rust-coloured robes with garlands of marigolds and a rudraksha-style mala sits on a red-cushioned seat before an oil lamp and a fan. Kumkum rangoli patterns and red plates lie on the ground, with a deity shrine and red-and-gold fabrics behind.2017-01-14January 14 20172017-01-14A homa ritual in a tent-like hall. In the centre, a man in orange robes and a rudraksha mala sits cross-legged before a square brick fire pit with burning embers and offerings. Beside him, a priest in orange and a seated attendant tend the fire. Standing priests in white dhotis with gold-bordered shawls, rudraksha malas and bare shoulders surround the area. To the right, a tiered altar with a deity murti and gold-framed images, brass lamps, and kalasha-like vessels. A red and green striped mat lies on the floor. Roughly ten people are visible.2015-09-14A woman in an orange sari with a dark maroon blouse and a rudraksha mala kneels on a paved courtyard beside a clay pot of boiling milk over a small fire, stirring it with a wooden ladle for a Pongal cooking ritual. Sugarcane stalks stand upright around the pot, with bowls of rice and offerings nearby and smoke rising. Behind her a crowd of women in saris and white mundu-style dress, one in a yellow sari and another in pink, stands watching, and a figure in a green kurta stands at right. Ornate golden decorations are visible at the back.2017-01-14November 06 20112011-11-06A woman in an orange sari with a white forehead mark and red bindi tends a yellow clay pot on a brick hearth, the pot topped with a green leaf and a flame burning beneath it, as is typical of a Pongal boiling ritual. Sugarcane stalks stand on either side of the pot, and a basket of dry plant material sits at lower left. Behind her, several people in orange and white robes stand with hands folded, and a colourful kolam floor design is visible. A red pillar frames the right edge. Visible people: about five, mostly in orange and white attire.2016-01-15A brick-lined homa fire pit bordered with yellow and pink flower garlands and fresh blossoms burns with smoke rising in the room. A woman in a pink silk sari with gold border pours offerings from a striped bowl into the flames. Beside her a woman in a red and gold sari holds a small plate, and a man in white dhoti and shawl stands with hands together. Several other people in pink and white clothing stand nearby, and a small seated figure in orange garments wearing a garland is visible in a shrine area at right beside a silver vessel. Fruits, green leaves and brass pots lie around the fire pit.2004-06-12May 13 20132013-05-13 +1 copiesJanuary 15 20162016-01-15A crowded indoor hall with white walls and a paper-chain banner strung overhead. Seated devotees fill the floor in white, cream and orange clothing, many wearing marigold garlands. At center, a fire pit with a homa is being tended, with white boxes stacked beside it. A woman in an orange sari with a garland sits at the fire, and a man in orange stands nearby. Brass lamps with lit wicks and flower-decorated trays sit in the foreground, and a standing figure in orange appears at the back by a speaker. A camera on a tripod is at the left edge.2007-12-26May 13 20132013-05-13