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Night-time photograph of a temple ritual with large orange-yellow flames rising in the foreground from a fire pit, blurred by motion. Behind the flames a smiling person in an orange robe wears a garland of white and red-yellow flowers around the neck and stands beside a silver-coloured murti or kalasha-like vessel and a dark stone shivalinga-style structure topped with a yellow-and-white flower garland. A saffron-robed attendant with shaved head stands at right, and a few other devotees are partly visible behind the stone platform. Under the open pavilion, a striped canopy with orange and green fabric drapes stretches at left, and a small oil lamp burns on a pillar. A stone-carved base with lotus-petal relief sits in the centre. Vilakku pooja and homa-style offerings are suggested by the fire and lamp.

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A photograph of an evening ritual fire at an outdoor shrine. Large flames rise from a fire pit in the foreground, and smoke drifts across the dim, dark-grey stone ceiling. A seated woman in orange robes with a white and orange garland sits behind the fire, with a brass lamp in front of her. To the right, a man in white and orange clothing pours liquid over a tall grey stone linga, which is draped with yellow and red flower garlands, while another person in an orange garment stands beside it. Colourful striped cloth canopies and bunting stand to the left, and a steel pot sits near the base of the linga.2006-12-31Photograph of an outdoor ritual at dusk beside a stone temple structure, with large flames rising from a fire pit in the foreground. A seated person in orange robes and a multicoloured flower garland sits behind a small golden figure dressed in pink, with a brass lamp set nearby. Behind them, a standing attendant in orange holds a metal vessel above a stone lingam-style shrine adorned with a garland, while another attendant in white stands near a golden trident. Colourful festoon fabric decorates a canopy overhead. Stainless steel pots sit on the ground, and smoke drifts upward.2006-12-31A photograph of an evening vilakku pooja at an outdoor temple setting. Flames from a fire pit blur across the foreground with rising smoke. A large grey stone shivalinga with a kalasha-like top and a garland of yellow and red flowers is being bathed by a stream of liquid poured from a vessel held by a standing priest in white dhoti and red-bordered shawl at upper right. A seated figure in saffron-orange robes with a flower garland sits behind an offering table with a silver lamp and pink cloth, with a pale trident-shaped object nearby. Bunting in red, green, blue and yellow hangs overhead, and metal vessels sit at the base of the lingam.2006-12-31Photograph of a night abhishekam at an open-air shrine. A woman in an orange sari with a flower garland stands at the front by a fire, with flames rising in the foreground. Behind her a person in white and blue pours liquid from a metal vessel over a grey stone Shivalinga decorated with a yellow and red flower garland. A smaller person in white stands at the right edge, and an orange-clad figure is partly visible on the far right. Colourful striped cloth canopies and a trident (trishul) are visible at left and centre. Smoke drifts through the scene. The lit fire and metal pots suggest a vilakku or lamp-lit ritual.2006-12-31Night outdoor ritual at a stone temple structure. Large orange flames rise from a metal fire vessel in the foreground, and smoke drifts upward. A seated figure in saffron-orange robes with a flower garland sits behind the fire, beside a pink-draped deity murti and a small golden shrine. A person in white clothing lifts a metal pot and pours over a grey stone lingam with a yellow and red flower garland, under a lit lamp in an arched stone alcove. Colourful festival canopies with orange, green and purple hangings stand to the left, and banana bunches sit at the bottom. The scene suggests a fire ritual with abhishekam.2006-12-31December 31 20062006-12-31Evening photograph of a stone abhishekam at a temple with a large grey Shivalingam on a carved black stone yoni-pitha base. A person in a white garment with a garland of yellow and red flowers pours liquid from a metal pot held overhead onto the lingam. Smoke and orange flames from a fire pit or lamps rise in the foreground, and a hanging lamp glows on a pillar. Cloth canopies with red, green and purple stripes and garlands stand to the left, and a metal vessel sits at the base of the pitha.2006-12-31A photograph of a Shiva lingam abhishekam at night in a temple hall lit by warm lamps. A woman in a dark-red sari with a dark head wrap and a red rudraksha mala stands at left holding a brass aarti lamp with a large flame, while a man in red and orange clothing beside her holds a brass plate of offerings. The black lingam is decorated with flowers and stands on a dark stone base with water running down; behind it are a garlanded deity murti in white and gold and marigold garlands in yellow, red and purple. Three physical people are visible, with two more partially visible at the edges.2016-03-07Photograph of a temple sanctum at night during a lamp offering before a Shivalinga on a yoni-peetha base. A central figure in an orange-saffron shawl and orange garment, with rudraksha beads and a flower garland, holds a lit oil lamp over the linga and smoke rises from it. Behind him stand two men in white dhotis, one holding a tray. To the right, a large deity murti in orange and purple robes with a yellow-and-red flower garland is visible. A small seated white stone figure sits in the foreground, and a carved stone pillar frames the scene. Devotees are partially visible in the background near an orange curtain.2009-12-16October 10 20172017-10-10 +1 copiesA photograph of a ritual inside a white tented pavilion decorated with maroon drapes and hanging tassels. Four saffron-robed men stand around a black stone shivalinga with white horizontal markings at right. In the centre, a man in an orange turban and an orange wrap holds a flaming aarti lamp over brass vessels while another robed man beside him watches. At left a clean-shaven man in an orange wrap stands with palms pressed together. At right a bearded man with long grey-streaked hair, in an orange robe, looks on. A large brass kalasha hangs above the linga. Behind them devotees stand in the background.2016-05-04Night-time temple ritual at a black stone Shivalinga on a dark pedestal, with water trickling down its surface. A woman in a red saffron-toned sari with a red-and-gold border, a long dark rudraksha-style mala and gold necklaces holds a lit oil lamp and an offering, her face lit by the flame. Behind her, a man in a rust-red dhoti and rudraksha mala holds a brass plate, while another woman in red stands at left. To the right, a deity murti is adorned with a large garland of yellow, orange, purple and white flowers and gold ornaments, with a white-clad priest at far right. The scene conveys abhishekam and aarti at a shrine.2016-03-07