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Night ceremony at an outdoor temple-style stage with a fire lit before a decorated deity murti garlanded in red and yellow flowers. Several bare-chested priests in white dhotis and saffron-bordered cloths perform the ritual, one pouring or offering near the flames while another stands with folded hands. A large crowd of seated devotees in beige and cream clothing faces the stage from the foreground. On a raised platform at right, a figure seated on an ornate red-and-gold throne wears an orange-red turban and a red-and-orange shawl; the appearance is not clear enough to confirm identity, so he is described only by role as a seated presider beside the stage. Garlands, brass lamps and a tall golden umbrella frame the scene.

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December 07 20162016-12-07Night outdoor ritual before a decorated shrine with a large deity murti garlanded in red and orange flowers, and a fire pit burning in front of it. Priests in white dhotis perform the homa while a bare-chested priest in ochre cloth tends the offering. On the right, a man with a red-orange turban and saffron-red shawl sits on an ornate gold-and-red throne beneath a yellow and multicolour canopy; a cameraman and a white-clad attendant stand nearby. A large crowd of devotees sits on the red-carpeted ground, some in white and pink saris, and a brass oil lamp stands at the front. Swamiji (probable) is seated on the throne wearing the turban and shawl.2016-12-07Large ritual gathering seated on the ground facing a raised shrine decorated with marigold and rose garlands. Several bare-chested priests in white dhotis and saffron-and-white cloth stand at the altar, one holding a ritual object over a fire pit with flames. Dozens of devotees in beige or cream clothing sit in rows with their backs to the camera. Behind the altar stand deity murtis draped in garlands, and gold-framed ceremonial lamps and a kalasha flank the shrine. On the right, a man in an ornate red and gold shawl and saffron-orange turban sits on a gold throne with a red cushion, a person candidate, with a rudraksha-style garland and a photographer nearby. Cues are limited, so identity is uncertain.2016-12-07December 07 20162016-12-07Night ritual at an outdoor temple-style mandap decorated with marigold garlands and hanging yellow and green cloth. Behind a shrine containing a deity murti draped in flower garlands, priests in white dhoti and shawl perform a puja, one holding an offering. In the foreground, a large seated crowd faces the stage. On the right, a seated figure in orange and red turban and shawl sits on a gold-and-maroon throne beside a tall gold-topped standard; a photographer stands nearby. Several people in white and saffron clothing and a woman in green saree sit among the audience. The person on the throne shows some appearance cues consistent with a person candidate, but the identification is uncertain.2016-12-07December 07 20162016-12-07December 07 20162016-12-07Night-time ritual gathering in an open courtyard before a decorated shrine hung with colourful garlands, with a fire pit and oil lamps in front of a deity murti. A bare-chested priest in an orange-gold dhoti stands at the centre-left performing an offering with a raised implement. A figure in a red-and-orange wrap and a saffron headcloth sits on a red throne at the right, with a yellow-and-blue canopy overhead; the seated figure is an appearance-based probable candidate for a person, with long hair and saffron clothing, but the identity is uncertain. Hundreds of devotees sit cross-legged in rows wearing white and beige cloths, many with palms joined overhead in namaskar and the front rows sitting bare-chested with rudraksha malas visible.2016-12-07December 07 20162016-12-07December 07 20162016-12-07December 07 20162016-12-07Night-time ritual in an open courtyard before a decorated deity murti shrine hung with marigold garlands and colourful bunting. Bare-chested men in white dhotis sit in rows on a red carpet, while a priest in white stands near a golden ornament at left and a man in a red-and-gold turban sits on an ornate golden seat at right, with a yellow ceremonial umbrella beside him. Two men in white dhotis kneel close to the shrine among oil lamps and offerings. Women in saris and older Western devotees in light clothing sit to the right of the carpet. A camera on a tripod records the scene. Dozens of people are visible.2016-12-07