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Outdoor river bathing scene at a Kumbh-style ritual ghat, with a large crowd lining the banks behind. In the centre, a figure with long matted dreadlocks, wearing a maroon-and-red garment and heavy gold ornaments, stands waist-deep in the water, bending forward. Around him, devotees in white dhotis with rudraksha malas and gold necklaces wade in the water; some women wear orange and saffron saris. A man on the left wears a white dhoti and bare chest and holds a silver staff. Behind them, people wave red flags and hold up ritual items including a long-handled silver-coloured staff, with many photographers and phone cameras raised. The scene reads as a shahi snaan sacred bath.

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May 21 20162016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21Photograph of a large crowd gathered at the water's edge during a ritual bathing scene. In the centre, a figure with long dark matted hair and bare back stands waist-deep in greenish water, with hands raised, surrounded by many men wearing white dhotis and rudraksha malas, some with bare chests, plus women in saffron and orange saris. Behind them a dense crowd of onlookers holds red and orange flags and umbrellas, and a red-and-gold palanquin-like structure appears at the left edge. Some people hold cameras. Many faces are visible; the crowd is far larger than twenty-one.2016-05-21A large crowd gathers on the bank and in the water of a river at the Ujjain Kumbh Mela. In the centre, a figure with long, matted dreadlocks and a maroon dhoti, wearing heavy gold necklaces, bends forward in the water with hands near the surface. Around him, men and women in white dhotis and rudraksha malas stand waist-deep, some in saffron and orange saris. Red flags and saffron banners rise above the crowd, and many people hold cameras and phones. A trident-topped ritual object is raised among the devotees, and a kalasha-like vessel appears near the left.2016-05-21A large crowd gathers on the bank and in shallow river water at a Kumbh Mela shahi snaan. In the centre, a bare-chested man stands waist-deep in water wearing a gold necklace, gold armbands and a red-orange dhoti, arms spread with palms open. Around him, devotees in white, saffron and red clothing, many wearing rudraksha and marigold-style garlands, stand in the water, some with hands folded in prayer. Photographers with cameras and red and saffron flags fill the background.2016-05-21A large crowd gathers at a riverbank for a ritual bathing event, with many people standing in shallow water. In the centre, a long-haired sadhu with dreadlocks stands waist-deep, with his back to the camera, holding a trident-like staff. Around him, men in white dhotis and rudraksha malas stand in water, and women in orange and red saris and gold necklaces are nearby. Red and saffron flags and umbrellas rise above the crowd, and photographers and phones fill the foreground. The water is murky green-brown.2016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21A large crowd of devotees gathers in shallow river water during a Kumbh Mela shahi snan. Many men wear white dhotis or cloth wraps with brown and maroon shawls and rudraksha malas, some with bare chests. A figure in the center with long dark matted locks stands waist-deep in the water, holding a trident-like staff upright, with a brass kalasha-style vessel near them. Men in orange and saffron robes stand nearby, and red flags, ceremonial umbrellas and a stage structure rise above the crowd. Photographers with cameras line the edge of the water.2016-05-21A large crowd gathers at the water's edge at a Kumbh Mela shahi snaan. In the foreground, a figure with long dreadlocked hair, wearing a white dhoti and rudraksha malas, stands waist-deep in water with arms spread, surrounded by men in white dhotis and maroon or red shawls wearing gold and rudraksha necklaces. Behind them, sadhus in orange and saffron robes stand in the river among onlookers. Many people hold red and orange flags, and umbrellas, decorated poles and a stage with banners are visible on the bank. Many photographers with cameras crowd the scene.2016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21May 21 20162016-05-21