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Outdoor ritual at a temple courtyard with a bamboo scaffold behind. A bald priest in white dhoti and shawl with his back to the camera faces a seated officiant in saffron robes and red-and-gold shawl who holds a lit camphor aarti lamp on a silver plate. Several saffron-robed sannyasis with rudraksha malas and forehead markings sit cross-legged with palms pressed in namaskar. Nearby is a tray of offerings, bowls, and flowers, and a garland of pink and white blossoms hangs at right. Behind them a standing crowd of white-clad devotees, some in pink and green saris, press palms together. Cameras are visible in the foreground.

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Outdoor temple courtyard ceremony at dusk with a large crowd seated and standing in prayer, many with hands in anjali. In the foreground a priest in a white dhoti with a gold border sits before a tray of offerings, bowls of food, fruit and flower garlands, while a man in orange robes and rudraksha mala holds a lit oil lamp in an aarti-like puja. Nearby, a saffron-robed man with a tilak and a bald head sits cross-legged, and a woman in pink and another in green sit among devotees. Pink, white and yellow garlands drape a stone pillar on the right. Bamboo scaffolding and a pink temple wall form the background. Photographers are visible at the lower edge. The scene resembles a puja or aarti at a temple.2011-12-20Outdoor ritual at a temple courtyard with bamboo scaffolding and a pink wall behind. A shaved-headed priest in saffron-orange robes with orange-smeared forehead and rudraksha mala sits center-right, holding a flaming oil lamp over a metal vessel while offerings of fruit and sweets are arranged on plates before him. Around him, several saffron-robed men sit with hands folded in prayer. Behind them a large crowd stands and kneels in white and colourful clothing, many with hands joined. On the right, a stone pillar is decorated with white, pink and yellow flower garlands and green leaves. A man in a white dhoti with gold border stands at the lower left facing the group, and a photographer appears at the bottom left. Many people are visible, well over twenty.2011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20Outdoor ritual at a temple courtyard at dusk. A man in orange robes and rudraksha malas holds up a lit camphor flame on a metal lamp, while a bare-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl sits in front with a brass bell and offering plates. Several seated devotees in orange and white clothes press palms together, and a woman in orange sits at the front-left. Bamboo scaffolding and a thatched roof frame the area, with a flower garland of pink, white and yellow blossoms draped on a stone pillar at right. A crowd of white-clad devotees fills the background.2011-12-20Outdoor temple courtyard scene at dusk beside a stone wall, with bamboo scaffolding behind. Many people, mostly in white and orange, sit and stand in crowded rows. In the foreground a large group of seated figures in saffron-orange robes with rudraksha malas and marigold garlands sit before a ritual tray holding fruit, sweets, flower petals, oil lamps and small brass vessels. A priest in white dhoti, bare-headed and seen from behind, presses his palms together facing them. A bare-chested man in orange at right performs a puja over a stone structure draped with pink, white and yellow flower garlands. Other devotees in pink, red and orange saris sit with hands folded in prayer.2011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20Outdoor temple ritual at Arunachaleswarar Temple: a seated group of devotees in saffron and orange robes, some with white tilak and rudraksha malas, surrounds a lit camphor aarti flame in a metal dish held by a man in saffron cloth with a bell-like object nearby. A priest in white dhoti sits in front with ritual trays and brass vessels. Behind them a large crowd of people in white and saffron clothing stands among bamboo scaffolding, with a garland of pink and yellow flowers on the right and temple walls and a palm tree in the background. A man in saffron on the left holds a long staff and a standing figure in orange at the upper left appears to be in a respectful pose.2011-12-20Outdoor photo at a temple courtyard with a stone wall behind, showing a seated group in orange and saffron clothing with hands in anjali mudra. At the centre, a long-haired man in orange robes with a gold-toned ornamental necklace, a gold armband and a tilak on his forehead sits with eyes closed, appearing to be an appearance-based a person in prayer. Flanking him, devotees in orange and pink saris and dhotis sit with palms joined, a bald man in orange wears a beaded mala, and a woman in a green-and-red sari sits nearby. A tall ornate standing staff topped with a bird stands behind the centre. Offerings of marigold flowers, a brass plate of sweets and a small oil lamp lie on the stone floor in front. Onlookers stand in the background, some in white. The scene suggests a puja or darshan-style ritual.2011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20