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A large white-draped hall during a Maheshwara Puja style ritual. A man in orange robes and a rudraksha mala sits on an ornate gold throne-like seat under a gold arch with a triangular top, flanked by golden lion-like sculptures and tall brass lamps. Behind him, a figure in bright clothing stands near the arch. Rows of devotees in orange and saffron sit on the floor with palms pressed together and oil lamps held aloft, while a long line of banana-leaf plates with food offerings stretches along the right side. Colourful striped parasols hang overhead and a small gold kalasha-like vessel sits near the front. A line of white-clad women and sannyasis sit to the right of the offerings.

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A large ceremonial hall with white draped ceilings and colourful parasols along the sides. Rows of seated men with bare upper bodies, wearing saffron-coloured cloth and rudraksha malas, sit on the floor in front of a gold canopy framing a central seated figure in a dark robe and raised platform. Beside it, a gold deity murti and devotional figures stand near ornate decorations. Along the right, a long row of banana-leaf plates with food offerings is served to seated monastics and women in pink, purple and white saris. Many participants hold small oil lamps and offer namaskar. This appears to be a maheshwara puja with pinda tharpana offerings to sannyasis.2016-12-18December 18 20162016-12-18December 18 20162016-12-18Large indoor puja hall under white draped fabric with a gold ornate canopy and colourful parasols. A seated figure in orange-saffron clothing with a garland sits centrally on a gold throne-like seat flanked by golden lion-like guardians, with a small golden deity murti above. Hundreds of seated participants in orange and saffron robes and white dhotis, many bare-chested with sacred markings, press palms together and hold lit oil lamps. A long line of banana-leaf food offerings runs along the right side, and women in colourful saris sit among the crowd. Kalasha pots and brass lamps stand at the front.2016-12-18December 18 20162016-12-18December 18 20162016-12-18A large ritual hall draped in white fabric shows a Maheshwara Puja style offering. A central figure seated on an ornate golden throne with a gold canopy, a pale-saffron-robed figure with long dark hair and rudraksha beads, sits above a line of white-robed attendants. Shirtless devotees with rudraksha malas and sandalwood-marked chests sit in rows along a long floor cloth, with banana-leaf plates of food and small oil lamps laid out before them. In the left foreground a bare-chested priest in white dhoti raises a flaming lamp toward the offerings. Colourful parasol-style umbrellas, brass trident finials and tall kalasha-like pillars surround the dais.2016-12-18A large ritual hall draped in white fabric shows a Maheshwara Puja in progress. In the foreground, a bare-chested priest in a white dhoti and white sacred thread raises a lit flame toward a long row of seated participants. Rows of men in orange robes and bare-chested devotees with white body markings sit on colourful woven mats before rows of leaf plates set with food and small white cups. Behind them, a seated figure in a red and gold garment sits on a gilded throne flanked by golden lion-like guardian figures and a golden arch with coloured banners, while umbrellas and trident-topped stands frame the space and women in saris sit in the background. A man on the throne wears a crown and necklaces but no distinct a person cues are clearly established from appearance alone.2016-12-18December 18 20162016-12-18A large white-draped hall holds a Maheshwara Puja scene. In the foreground, a bare-chested priest in a white dhoti and sacred thread holds a lit flame toward a long row of seated sannyasis in saffron robes whose palms are pressed together, with leaf plates and small lamps set along a striped mat. A golden canopy frames a central figure seated on a golden throne with a crown, flanked by golden deity-like figures and fringed umbrellas. Many seated devotees in white and maroon with rudraksha malas fill the floor, and some hold small oil lamps. The people shown are numerous and extend across the room, so the count exceeds 100.2016-12-18A large outdoor-style tent hall with white draped walls and multicoloured parasols. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with sacred ash stands at left holding a flaming lamp over a long row of leaf-plate offerings and small cups. Rows of seated devotees, many bare-chested with rudraksha malas, sit on striped mats facing a golden arched canopy. On a golden throne at the centre sits a robed figure in saffron and white with long hair and a crown-like headdress, flanked by ornate gold statues and attendants in saffron. Brass kalashas and tridents decorate the stage, consistent with a Maheshwara Puja pinda offering to ancestors.2016-12-18A photograph of a large ritual gathering in a white-draped hall during a Maheshwara Puja-style offering. In the foreground, a bare-chested priest in white dhoti holds a lit flame toward long rows of leaf plates and small clay lamps laid out along a striped mat. Rows of seated devotees, many bare-chested with rudraksha malas, face a golden ornate canopy and a raised throne. A figure with long dark hair and an orange garment sits on the throne, flanked by golden deity statues and decorative umbrellas. Women in saffron and red saris sit to the right, and other monastics in white sit behind. Printed copyright text overlays the lower right corner.2016-12-18