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Night ritual on stone steps beside a water tank, with several bare-chested priests in orange-saffron dhotis and garlands of white and yellow flowers standing in a row. The front priest holds a bell, the one behind holds a lit oil lamp, and others carry flaming lamps or torches. Striped woven cloth drapes the stone wall. Behind them, a large crowd fills tiered stands, many dressed in white, with red flags and bright floodlights overhead.

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February 24 20172017-02-24 +1 copiesFebruary 24 20172017-02-24Night outdoor ritual at a stepped platform with a large crowd seated in the stands behind. Five or so young men in saffron-orange dhotis and shawls, bare-chested and wearing garlands and beaded necklaces, stand in a row holding ritual objects: one holds a brass oil lamp with lit flames, another a brass lamp-stand, and the foreground man holds a handbell. Striped woven cloths drape the railing, red flags and a decorated Shiva linga-like form with flower garlands stand in the background. Lamps and floodlights light the scene, and devotees sit in white clothes watching.2017-02-24Night ritual on stone steps before a large crowd. Five young sannyasi-style men in saffron/orange dhotis and shawls, with ash markings and beaded necklaces, hold brass oil lamps, a bell and a kalasha-style vessel while performing aarti. Striped multicoloured cloth covers a barrier, saffron flags stand behind, and a decorated deity murti with garlands is visible in the background. Spectators in white sit in tiered stands.2017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24Night outdoor ceremony on tiered stone steps with striped woven mats draped along the edge. Five young men in orange-saffron dhotis stand in a row holding up lit oil lamps and ceremonial vessels with flames, bare-chested with rudraksha-style beaded necklaces. Behind them a large crowd of mostly white-clad devotees fills the stands under floodlights. A large screen displays a deity image with a red and white radiant backdrop. Orange flags flank the scene and a decorated Shiva-style murti stands near the steps.2017-02-24Night ceremony at a stone-stepped ghat beside still water, with four saffron-clad sannyasis standing in a row holding lit oil lamps aloft and one raising a brass kalasha with lamps. Each wears an orange dhoti or wrap and rudraksha-style malas, and they are bare-chested. A striped colourful textile covers the steps, and a large crowd seated on tiered stands watches, many with hands pressed in devotion. A large screen above shows the event, and floodlights illuminate the scene.2017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24Night outdoor ceremony on tiered stone steps with a large crowd seated behind striped woven cloths. Five male priests in orange dhotis and bare-chested, wearing beaded necklaces, stand in a row raising lit torches or flames. A large illuminated screen at upper right shows a colourful deity image. A stone shivalinga-style form draped with garlands is visible in the centre. Red flags stand along the left side and floodlights light the scene.2017-02-24Night photo of an outdoor aarti at a stepped ghat-style platform lit by oil lamps and warm lights. Five bare-chested priests in saffron-orange dhotis, with gold-coloured sacred threads and beaded ornaments, stand on the steps raising tall, lit brass aarti lamps overhead. Behind them, seated devotees fill tiered stands, many with hands folded, and red flags line the railings. Strings of lights outline the wall, and small oil lamps glow on the lower steps beside brass vessels.2016-12-06Night aarti at a stepped riverside ghat lit by floodlights and strings of lights. Five male priests in saffron-orange dhotis stand on the stone steps with bare upper bodies, rudraksha malas and gold-coloured necklaces, raising large brass aarti lamps and flaming kalasha-style lamps high. Seated women in white saris and white-clad attendants sit on the lower steps beside small oil lamps and brass vessels. Behind them a large crowd of devotees watches from tiered seating, with red flags and a green hose visible on the steps.2016-12-06Night photo of an evening aarti at a stepped riverside ghat. In the foreground, a young man with a topknot, bare-chested and wearing a saffron-orange dhoti with a gold border and a beaded mala, lifts a tall brass lamp stand with many flames. Beside him, several other men in saffron-orange dhotis, some with bare torsos and garlands, hold lit lamp stands and offering vessels. Seated women in white saris and men in white clothes sit on the lower steps tending small oil lamps. Behind them, a large crowd fills the terraced seating under strings of lights, with red flags and a lit decorative tower on the left.2016-12-06