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A photograph of an abhishekam at a festival, with a long-haired man in a rust-orange wrap and dhoti pouring water from a silver vessel over a deity murti. The murti is decorated with silver and jewelled ornaments, and two gold-coloured arms are raised. Behind it, a garland arch of yellow, purple and red flowers frames the altar. On the left, a young man with a white forehead mark wears a rudraksha mala and a blue-grey cloth. Two bare-chested men in white dhotis bend over the base at the lower right, handling flowers and the water.

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A photograph of a ritual abhishekam at a black stone Shivalinga on a dark circular base, with water being poured over it. A figure with long dreadlocked hair, wearing a rust-red wrap and a red headcloth, stands with back to the camera holding a silver vessel over the lingam. To the left, a smiling young man with a white tripundra on his forehead, a beaded necklace and a red-and-gold cloth wears a silver bowl. Behind them stand large deity murti figures adorned with gold crowns, jewelled necklaces and silver ornaments, with a backdrop of marigolds and flower garlands in yellow, purple and red. A small brass figure sits at the lower edge.2017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24A photograph of a ritual abhishekam at night before a large deity murti of Shiva and Parvati seated side by side, both adorned with gold crowns, jewelry and garlands of marigolds and white flowers. A standing figure in a long-haired dreadlock style, bare-chested with a rust-red wrap and red head cloth, pours water from a silver vessel over a black lingam set in a black stone peetha. Two bare-chested priests in white dhotis kneel at the right, and brass oil lamps with a lit flame stand at the right edge. The person pouring has no visible saffron-and-rudraksha cues sufficient to identify a candidate, so the appearance is uncertain.2017-02-24Night photograph of a temple abhishekam before a large deity murti pair seated on a throne, the male figure crowned and the female figure in a red and gold sari with heavy gold necklaces. A black Shiva lingam stands on a black yoni-peetha base in the foreground. A figure in a saffron-orange dhoti and wrap, with long dreadlocked hair tied in an orange headband, pours liquid from a silver vessel onto the lingam. Two white-clad priests in dhotis bend over the base on the right. Brass oil lamps stand at the edges, and the arch behind is decorated with red, yellow and purple flower garlands.2017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24Abhishekam ritual before large deity murti pair, a Shiva and Parvati form with gold crowns, jewelled garlands and a trident in the left hand. Water pours from a silver vessel onto the central lingam-style base. A long-haired man with dreadlocks and a red-brown wrap pours water from a silver pot while a second priest in orange holds a plate. Behind them, a bare-chested man in orange drapes stands beside a gold-faced figure with red headwrap. Brass oil lamps stand at left, and the platform is decorated with yellow, purple and red flower garlands. A kneeling priest in white cloth lower right bends over the base. a person appears as the dreadlocked figure in rust-red robe and matching head cloth, with his rudraksha-style adornments; the figure is clearly conducting the pouring.2017-02-24A photograph of a ritual abhishekam at a large festival shrine. A figure with long, swept-back dark hair wrapped in a rust-red turban and draped in a rust-red cloth stands bare-shouldered at left, pouring water from a silver vessel over a richly adorned deity murti. The murti wears jewelled gold ornaments, a sparkling crown-like headdress, bejewelled necklaces and a brocade skirt of gold and red. Water cascades in a bright stream onto the murti's lower body. Golden hand-shaped elements and yellow and red flower garlands surround the figure. The scene is festive and ornate, with a dark background.2017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24February 24 20172017-02-24