Skip to content
Photograph of a riverside ceremony on the Ganga ghats in Varanasi, with a long-haired man in saffron-orange robes and a rudraksha mala seated on an ornate throne-like seat draped in dark patterned cloth, scattered marigold petals at his feet. A large multicoloured parasol with fringed edges is held over him by an attendant, and tall decorated banners stand behind. Around him, people in orange and white ritual clothes, some shaved-headed priests in saffron, stand on a yellow boat deck and wooden platform. On the right, men in white dhotis and shirts, one holding a laptop, look on. Hazy river and stone ghat steps with orange flags fill the background. Swamiji (probable): the seated man has long swept-back hair, saffron robes, a rudraksha mala and ceremonial necklaces.