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Three bare-chested young men in saffron-orange dhotis stand in a row at a temple ceremony, each holding a brass oil lamp with lit wicks and a small handheld bell or ritual vessel. They wear rudraksha and bead necklaces, bands on their arms and ash or sandalwood markings on their bodies. Behind them is a red-curtained stage with a golden deity murti and ornate lamps hanging from the ceiling. Colourful striped cloths cover tables in front, and a seated crowd in white clothing watches from the background.

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Four bare-chested men in saffron-orange dhotis and rudraksha malas stand in a line on a striped multicolored carpet, each holding a brass aarti or puja lamp with a lit flame, performing Pancha Aarti. Gold-ornamented necklaces and armbands are visible. Behind them a decorated stage has a golden deity murti in an ornate frame and a gilded backdrop, with red drapes, hanging paper lanterns and a canopy of colorful tassels above. Long tables covered in striped cloths line the left side of the hall. Two additional men in orange stand in the background near the altar.2016-12-22Photograph inside a temple pavilion during a lamp ceremony. Four men in saffron-orange dhotis, bare-chested and wearing long beaded necklaces, stand in a row holding brass oil lamps with flames. Behind them, golden and white deity murtis and decorated altar figures are lit, with red curtains and hanging lamps overhead. Striped cloth covers low tables where seated women in white clothing are gathered on the left, and a red-carpeted floor runs along the front. This appears to be a lamp-lighting ritual during the Karthigai Deepam festival.2016-12-12Several men in saffron-orange dhotis stand in a row performing aarti with lit oil lamps held on brass trays, inside a decorated tent hall. The foreground man, bare-chested and wearing a long rudraksha-style bead mala, raises a lit lamp; others stand behind him, some holding brass bells. Behind them are illuminated deity murtis draped with garlands, and a red-cloth covered table with a bright striped mat covers the floor. Hanging paper lanterns decorate the ceiling.2016-12-22Five male priests in saffron-orange dhotis stand in a row before a deep red draped curtain, performing aarti with lit oil lamps and brass bells. Each wears a rudraksha or flower garland and sacred body markings, and some have matted hair knotted on top. Striped multicoloured mats cover the floor, with several seated devotees in the background. The scene reflects a Pancha Aarati offering in the hall, with lamps held in multi-wick brass holders.2016-12-22Photograph of a ritual at a red-draped stage hall. Five male priests in saffron-orange dhotis and long orange shawls stand in a row on striped mats, swinging lit multi-flame lamps (aarti). The foremost priest, with long dreadlocked hair, wears a rudraksha-style mala and gold pendant; the others wear orange garlands. Behind them, women in cream and white saris sit at tables with brass bells, kalasha-style vessels and oil lamps for puja. Red and white curtains, speakers, lanterns and a camera on a tripod complete the scene.2016-12-23Four bare-chested men in orange dhotis and gold-coloured waist cloths stand in a row on a red-carpeted platform inside a decorated tent, each holding brass bells or handbells in both hands. Their torsos are painted with light markings and they wear beaded necklaces. Behind them stands a large golden deity murti with a dark-skinned figure and a golden alcove, flanked by an ornate golden shrine, with a long wooden pole and striped floor mats in the foreground. Red and orange hanging decorations line the tent ceiling. Several more orange-clad people are visible in the background, consistent with a ritual procession or temple ceremony.2016-12-12December 22 20162016-12-22December 22 20162016-12-22May 02 20162016-05-02December 22 20162016-12-22Three bare-chested men in saffron and orange dhotis perform an aarti with lit oil lamps in a hall with seated devotees in the background. The man on the right holds a lamp with a flame and a bell, wears a rudraksha mala and white tripundra on his forehead. The man in the centre holds a bell and a lamp, and the man on the left holds a lit lamp near his face. Seated devotees in colourful saris and clothing watch. Framed pictures and a gold-framed deity image hang on the wall behind, with a video camera on a tripod at right.2016-10-12December 22 20162016-12-22