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A photo of a shiva deeksha initiation scene. A man seated on a red cushioned throne in front of an ornate gold lotus-petal backrest wears a leopard-print headband, rudraksha-style beaded and gold ceremonial necklaces, gold armbands, a saffron-red shawl and a tilak on his forehead; the page identifies him as a person, based on his long swept-back hair, ornate gold jewellery and throne presence. A bare-chested devotee in white dhoti bows his head toward him. To the left, a woman in orange-red robes with rudraksha malas holds a white cord and a small printed slip, assisting the initiation.

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Outdoor evening initiation scene. A seated figure on a red cushioned throne with an ornate gold-and-red backrest wears a leopard-print headwrap, rust-orange draped robe, heavy gold necklaces, gold bangles and hoop earrings, and touches the forehead of a bare-chested, white-clothed devotee bowing before him, who holds a small card. Behind them a standing man with white vibhuti marks, a beaded rudraksha-style mala and gold chains watches. Other people in red and blue garments stand in the background. Swamiji (probable): the seated figure's long swept-back hair, gold ornaments and ceremonial orange-red robe match the presentation cues, consistent with a Shiva Deeksha initiation.2017-08-21A seated man in a rust-red ochre garment with a leopard-print turban and a tilak on his forehead smiles while a kneeling, bare-backed devotee receives a white sacred thread. He wears heavy gold beaded necklaces, gold armlets and bangles, and sits before a red cushioned seat and a gold shell-patterned backdrop. On the left, a woman in a rust-coloured sari with rudraksha beads reaches toward the thread, assisting the initiation. The scene suggests a Shiva Deeksha initiation ritual. Swamiji (probable): the seated man has long swept-back hair, a leopard-print turban, ornate gold necklaces and ochre clothing, and is presented as the initiating guru.2017-08-21August 21 20172017-08-21A seated figure on a red cushioned throne with an ornate gold lotus-petal backrest presides over a Shiva Deeksha initiation. He wears a dark maroon-brown robe, a patterned leopard-print headband, layered gold-coloured beaded necklaces, and gold armlets. He holds a white cord across the head of a kneeling, bare-backed male initiate in white dhoti, who bows forward. Two priests in white dhotis with horizontal white ash markings on their torsos and rudraksha bracelets assist, one holding a folded paper. Women in cream and white sarees stand at right, one holding a paper slip. Gold shrine decorations and a deity figure appear in the background.2017-08-21Photograph of a Shiva Deeksha initiation ceremony. A seated man on a red throne with a gold-patterned backrest wears a leopard-print headband, a rust-brown saffron-toned cloth, a long gold bead necklace and gold armbands, and raises his right hand in blessing. Before him a bare-chested devotee in a white dhoti bends forward while a woman in a rust-red sari with a bindi holds a white thread over his head. A man on the left in a white dhoti with a rudraksha mala and white vibhuti marks on his forehead watches the rite. The setting is an evening ceremony with a white structure behind.2017-08-21October 01 20172017-10-01A seated figure on a red cushioned throne with an ornate gold backrest is performing a ritual on a bare-chested man bowed forward at the left centre. The seated man wears a leopard-print headband, a red-and-maroon robe, layered gold necklaces, gold armbands and a red tilak, and is holding a white cord draped over the kneeling devotee's head. Two attendants stand at the left with long matted hair, rudraksha malas and sacred ash on their foreheads, one wearing white and the other orange-brown. The setting appears to be a shivadeeksha initiation ritual; the seated figure is an appearance-based probable Swamiji with cues of swept-back long hair, a crown-like headband, ornate gold necklaces, rudraksha malas and a gold throne, and the bowed devotee wears white dhoti.2017-08-21A photograph of a ritual in a temple-like setting. A seated man in a dark maroon-red dhoti-style robe and heavy gold necklaces and a gold waist belt sits on an ornate silver-and-red throne, wearing a white tilak on his forehead and reddish-orange bangles. A devotee's bare-backed figure with dark hair leans forward with his head bowed, and a attendant in a white dhoti with gold border and beaded necklaces holds a white thread and a small card. The thread is being wound or tied around the devotee's head. Orange cloth and brass lamps are visible in the background, along with a silver lion-shaped armrest. Three people are visible.2017-10-01A photograph of a Shiva Deeksha initiation ritual. A man with long dreadlocks, a leopard-print headband, gold necklaces and bangles, and a red-orange dhoti-style cloth sits on a red cushioned seat before a gold peacock-feather backdrop, holding a white thread that he guides over the head of a kneeling bare-backed devotee with white markings on his body. To the left, a man in white cloth with rudraksha malas and a woman in red-orange sari with a rudraksha mala assist by holding the thread and a card. Other seated devotees are visible behind. Ritual of thread-tying and initiation.2017-08-21A photograph of a seated man in a dark red-brown robe with a gold-trimmed belt and a heavy gold ceremonial necklace, wearing a red mala-like bead set and red bangles, sitting on an ornate silver and red-cushioned throne. Swamiji (probable): long swept-back hair, a shaved-headed clerical presence aside, a beard, and a red-brown robe with ornate gold ceremonial jewelry indicate the seated figure, who holds a thin white thread drawn across the head of a bare-chested man bending forward. The bending man has a white ritual cord and white dhoti-style cloth, while a second attendant in white with rudraksha beads and gold chain holds a folded paper. Behind them stand orange and saffron-robed figures and a deity murti in the background, with a carved stone pillar and a silver lion-shaped footstool in front.2017-10-01A seated man on a red-cushioned gold-backed throne raises his right palm in blessing while smiling. He wears a leopard-print yellow-and-black headband, a rust-brown shawl, heavy gold beaded necklaces and wide gold armlets and bangles, with his long hair falling behind. Before him a shaved-headed devotee in a white dhoti with white body marks kneels with palms joined, holding a small book. Behind them a second man with long matted hair, white forehead marks, beaded necklaces and a rust cloth stands, and a woman in a dark red sari stands in the background. This is a shiva deeksha initiation scene at night.2017-08-21July 28 20172017-07-28 +1 copies