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A ceremonial scene inside a temple-like hall during an abhishekam-style ritual. A bearded man with long hair sits on a red-cushioned golden throne wearing a white and gold garland, a rudraksha-style mala, a gold necklace and an orange-brown shawl, with a yellow shawl draped over his shoulders. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti bends forward offering something on a tray before him. Nearby, a woman in a multicoloured patterned sari and another in a purple sari attend, and bare-chested men in white dhotis and shirtless devotees stand around. A video camera operator films at left. Behind the throne, large deity murtis stand adorned with bright marigold and rainbow garlands, and oil lamps and brass vessels rest on a low orange-covered altar decorated with fruit and flowers.

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December 02 20162016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02Night photograph of a ritual inside a temple-style pavilion decorated with marigold garlands and colourful string lights. A bearded man in a maroon-brown robe, with a rudraksha-style gold necklace and a white flower garland, sits on an ornate gold-and-red throne at the centre. Several people in white dhotis and bare torsos bow toward him or stand nearby; a woman in a dark top and red trousers and another in a purple sari with bangles reach toward the seated figure. Behind them, a large deity murti group is adorned with yellow and orange marigold garlands. Brass lamps stand at the sides, and fruit and marigold offerings sit on a tray in the foreground.2016-12-02A photograph of a ritual abhishekam at an outdoor temple-style shrine decorated with marigold garlands. A bearded man seated on a gold throne with a red cushion wears a saffron-coloured shawl, rudraksha mala and a large gold pendant, with a white garland around his neck; a white-clad woman stands beside him. Men in white dhotis and bare-chested devotees stand and kneel around a low offering table laden with fruits, flowers and a brass vessel. Behind them stand large deity murtis draped in yellow and orange garlands, with a golden kalasha and oil lamps. A cameraman with a video camera is at the left edge. Several other devotees in saffron and purple saris stand at right.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02A temple-style ritual stage with a central seated figure on a gold throne with a red cushion, wearing a white garland and rudraksha-style beads, with a microphone in front. Behind him, deity murti are decorated with yellow and multicoloured flower garlands and a small gold kalasha-like lamp stand flanks the scene. Several priests in white dhotis and a man in a pink headcloth perform a puja or abhishekam, one holding a ritual implement near a tray of marigold petals and brass vessels with garlands. Camera operators and seated devotees fill the foreground, blurred in the front rows.2016-12-02Photograph of an abhishekam ritual before a deity murti backdrop of flower garlands and ornate gold-framed decor. A man seated on a red and gold throne wears a brown-orange robe, a flower garland, a heavy gold pendant necklace and a rudraksha-style mala, with a long dark beard; he is a person by appearance cues and the page notes his presence. Around him, shirtless priests in white dhotis with sacred threads and vibhuti marks attend, one pouring or applying a substance, while women in white saris and a woman in a maroon sari watch. Trays of fruit, marigold flowers and brass lamps sit in front. Garlands of yellow, red and green flowers adorn the backdrop and standing figures.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02Photograph of a night ritual at an open temple-style pavilion. A bearded man with long hair, wearing a white mala garland and gold necklace and an orange-brown cloth, sits cross-legged on a gold-and-red throne chair in front of a sacred fire. Behind him stands a deity murti with garlands and a kalasha-like arrangement beneath a canopy of marigold and multicoloured flower garlands. Offerings of fruit and flowers lie on wooden trays before the fire, and a brass vessel sits at the left. Several men with bare torsos and white dhotis sit or kneel around the fire, one holding a vessel. Women in white saris and white clothing stand at right, one holding a small cup, and a man in the foreground photographs the scene. Hanging strings of lights and a green banana leaf frame the scene.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02Photograph of a temple abhishekam in progress before a large deity murti decorated with yellow, orange and multicoloured garlands and a rainbow-striped backdrop. Two bare-chested priests in white dhotis with yellow borders bend over an offering table with silver bowls, one pouring liquid, while a third seated attendant in white is at lower left. Brass lamp stands line the sides, and yellow marigold garlands and flowers cover the wooden platform in front.2016-12-02