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Outdoor photo at a temple entrance in Tiruvannamalai: a large temple elephant with a bell on its neck extends its trunk toward a man in a white shirt and spectacles who offers it a yellow fruit. A uniformed officer in khaki with a cap stands nearby, and a crowd of onlookers in khaki, white and blue clothing, some with sacred ash marks on their foreheads, surrounds them. A man at right wears a green and yellow garland and has long dark hair. Ancient carved stone temple gateway pillars stand behind. A barefoot man in an orange-bordered dhoti holds a long stick near the elephant. The scene reflects elephant welcome rituals at the temple.

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A photograph of an elephant's trunk reaching toward a man in orange robes at a temple entrance. The man has long, swept-back dark hair, wears a saffron-orange garment, a rudraksha-style necklace, and a thick garland of green leaves, red and yellow flowers. Around him stand uniformed police officers in khaki and a cap, a man in a white shirt, a man in a green shirt, and onlookers with white tilak marks on their foreheads. Devotees' heads fill the foreground.2010-01-08A photograph at a temple entrance where an elephant reaches its trunk toward a man in a long-sleeved white shirt and white dhoti. Nearby, a uniformed police officer in khaki stands behind a group of men in white dhotis and shirts. On the right, a figure in saffron-orange robes wears a long-haired look with a layered garland of yellow and white flowers and gold-toned beaded necklaces, and a bare-shouldered priest in orange stands near a figure with a shaved head and white tilak. Carved grey stone temple pillars and a gopuram with painted colours rise behind. Several people are visible, with the saffron-robed figure on the right appearing to be a visiting sannyasi, and no clear appearance-based identification of the a person is supported.2010-01-08January 08 20102010-01-08January 08 20102010-01-08A photograph at a temple street outside the Arunachaleshwara complex in Tiruvannamalai. A large elephant's trunk extends across the foreground, its tip touching the hands of a man in a white shirt and white dhoti. Behind them stand uniformed police officers in khaki and a khaki-shirted official, along with several men in casual and white clothes. On the right, a figure with long dark hair wears a saffron-orange robe and heavy garland of flowers, bowing and smiling toward the elephant. Temple gopuram towers and a colourful dome rise in the background, with carved stone pillars on the right.2010-01-08Outdoors at a stone temple entrance, an elephant reaches its trunk toward a smiling man with long dark hair, wearing an orange-saffron robe and a heavy garland of green leaves, red and white flowers and yellow marigolds, plus a gold necklace and a red tilak. An Indian mahout in khaki stands at the left holding a stick, and a uniformed police officer in khaki with a red belt is nearby. A man in white shirt and dhoti and several saffron-robed devotees stand in a crowd of onlookers near carved pillars and a gopuram-style temple wall. Swamiji (probable) is the central figure, wearing the saffron robe, long hair and garland, honoured by an elephant at a temple visit.2010-01-08January 08 20102010-01-08Photograph at a temple courtyard in Tiruvannamalai with a large grey elephant on the left, its trunk raised toward a man in orange who holds a small white object near its mouth. The central figure has long dark hair and wears a green-and-red-and-white floral garland with orange robes, while a bald man beside him in an orange shawl with white tripundra marks on his forehead stands nearby. Behind them a crowd of devotees and a uniformed police officer watch, with a gopuram tower and a colourfully painted temple gateway dome visible in the background. Recognition of the central figure rests on appearance cues: long hair, garland and orange clothing, so the candidate is.2010-01-08January 08 20102010-01-08 +1 copiesA photograph of an elephant's trunk raised in the foreground beside a smiling man in saffron-orange robes, draped with a thick garland of yellow, white and red flowers and green leaves. He wears a gold necklace, a red bindi and has long swept-back dark hair, and a bare arm reaches toward the trunk. Uniformed police officer in khaki with a belt and a man in white dhoti stand nearby among a crowd, with a carved grey stone temple gopuram and pillars behind them. The scene suggests a temple welcome with an elephant. Swamiji (probable) is the saffron-robed man with long hair, gold necklace and flower garland, welcomed by the elephant.2010-01-08A photograph of an elephant at a temple entrance, its trunk raised and touching the head of a person in orange robes wearing a long gold-beaded necklace and long dark hair. The elephant has white markings on its forehead and tusks visible. Around them, men in white dhotis and shirts stand, one holding a garland of white and red flowers. A crowd of onlookers, many women in white, watches from the stone temple gateway. The person in orange appears to be receiving the elephant's blessing, with a person cue of long hair, saffron robes and gold necklace; the identity is uncertain.2009-08-06August 02 20082008-08-02