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Photo of a temple sanctum during an abhishekam ritual. A woman in orange sari stands at a stone yoni-shaped abhishekam basin pouring liquid over a black Shiva lingam beside a golden kirtimukha arch. Behind, a dark stone deity murti is garlanded with red flowers, and a white-clad figure at center sits near a golden lamp stand. A man in white dhoti holds a brass vessel at left, and a devotee in orange robes stands on a step ladder at right with hands folded in prayer near a black stone deity. A framed portrait hangs on a dark curtain above, with brass lamps and offering plates in the foreground.

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A temple abhishekam in progress in a hall with black drapes and red curtains. Several priests in saffron-orange robes perform rites at a raised marble platform. A standing priest with long dark hair and a rudraksha mala pours liquid from a vessel over a deity murti, while another in orange stands on a stepladder pouring over a black stone sculpture in a gilded arch on the right. A man in orange sits at the platform, and a child in white stands at left beside lamps. Gilded arches frame the deity murtis, which are garlanded with red and white flowers. A framed portrait on the wall above shows a figure in orange with hands joined, labelled with a printed name. Brass oil lamps and a kalasha-style vessel stand on the platform.2009-10-17A temple shrine interior with a tiled raised platform holding a black stone abhishekam basin and brass oil lamps. Behind it stand gilded deity murtis with golden prabhavali arches, a garlanded figure in white and orange, and a red-and-black curtain backdrop with a framed portrait labelled "Nithyananda". On the left a man in orange robes stands near the platform while another kneels; on the right a man in orange dhoti and shawl stands on a stepladder with hands folded in prayer beside a black stone deity, and a woman in white with a red border stands at the edge. The ritual appears to be an abhishekam with lamps and garlands.2009-10-17A temple hall during an abhishekam ceremony. Several priests in saffron-orange robes pour liquids over black stone murtis set within ornate gold arches. At the centre, a large black lingam sits on a black peetha, with a deity murti adorned with white and red garlands behind it, framed by a golden prabhavali. A framed portrait hangs on the black backdrop above, showing a man in orange robes with a rudraksha mala, and a red-draped stage. Brass lamps and kalasha vessels stand on the platform. Seated devotees in white and dark clothing watch from the front, and a woman in a white sari stands at the right. One priest in orange stands on a stepladder beside the right arch.2009-10-17A temple abhishekam in progress inside a hall with black drapes and red curtains. Central on a raised stone platform stands a black lingam-style deity flanked by gilded arches and a golden prabhavali halo, with a garland-adorned deity murti in white and red. Several figures in saffron-orange robes perform the ritual: one pours liquid from a vessel while another, in orange, stands behind the deity. A woman in white sari-style dress and a red-stoled attendant also tend the offering. Brass oil lamps and a copper pot sit at the platform's base. A framed portrait with a readable caption hangs above the shrine. Several seated devotees in the foreground face the altar.2009-10-17A photograph of an abhishekam in a temple hall with black and red draped backdrop. Several sannyasis in saffron/orange robes stand on step ladders and pour liquid over golden-framed deity murtis, including a central black linga-like murti set in a gold prabhavali. Behind the central altar hangs a framed portrait of a bearded figure in red. A man in white dhoti stands at the left and a woman in white sari stands at right near a golden lamp stand. Seated devotees in white and mixed clothing fill the foreground, many watching the ritual. Gold stand lamps and a brass kalasha are visible near the altar.2009-10-17A temple hall during an abhishekam ritual before a large seated audience. Several people in saffron/orange robes stand on a raised stone platform beside gilded arched frames and a central deity murti with a garland, while a devotee in white stands at the right pouring from a vessel. A brass kalasha and oil lamp sit on the dais, and a framed red-toned portrait hangs on the black backdrop. Men and women in white and coloured clothes sit on the floor in front, with a camera operator and tripod at the left edge.2009-10-17Interior of a temple hall during an abhishekam ceremony. Several priests in saffron-orange robes stand on step ladders and pour liquid over large black stone lingams and deity murtis framed by ornate gold arches. Two gold-framed murtis at centre, one wearing a red-and-white garment and garland, are being bathed. Devotees in white and dark clothing sit cross-legged on the floor facing the altar, and a photographer in a white sari kneels at right. Gold lamps stand in front of the altar. A framed portrait hangs high on the back wall above red and black drapes. A pair of kalasha-like vessels and a brass pot sit at the front.2009-10-17Photograph of a temple abhishekam inside a gold-framed shrine hall with dark backdrop and red drapes. Several saffron-robed swamis in orange stand around a central black stone shivalingam and deity murti adorned with white garlands and red flower garlands, while a woman in white sari with gold border stands at the platform. Brass lamps, kalasha and ritual vessels sit on the platform. A black stone figure stands in the right gold arch and another devotee in white dhoti stands at right. Roughly a dozen seated devotees in white clothes, some in white kurtas and saris, face the shrine from the foreground. A framed red-toned portrait hangs above on the backdrop.2009-10-17A temple hall with a stepped stone platform holding black stone deity murtis under gold arched frames and a gold prabhavali behind. Several priests in saffron/orange robes perform abhishekam: one on the left stands on a step ladder beside a dark deity figure, a central priest in orange pours from a vessel over a black linga-shaped object, and another orange-robed priest stands on a ladder at right by a black murti. A priest in white dhoti and shawl stands nearby, and a woman in white sari stands beside the platform. Seated devotees in the foreground and background watch, many in grey, white and dark clothing. A framed red-toned portrait hangs on the black backdrop above, and garlands and brass vessels are on the platform.2009-10-17A temple shrine room during an abhishekam ritual. A man with long dark hair in an orange saffron robe stands at a black stone shivalinga on a raised tiled platform, pouring or touching offerings, while another orange-robed figure kneels nearby and a bald priest in orange sits at the lower left. Behind them stand gilded metal deity murtis decorated with garlands and a white cloth, framed by a golden arched prabhavali. On the right, a standing orange-robed devotee with folded hands faces a black stone deity murti on a pedestal, flanked by a golden arch. Brass oil lamps stand in front, with a red curtain and a framed portrait on the back wall.2009-10-17A photograph of an abhishekam being performed in a hall with black drapes, red curtains and gold arched frames. Several priests in saffron-orange robes pour water and milk over large dark stone and metal deity murtis on a raised platform; one stands on a step ladder at the right, another at the left. A gold halo-shaped backdrop frames a central deity murti garlanded with white and red flowers. A framed portrait in saffron hangs high on the back wall. Seated devotees fill the foreground, many in white and cream clothing, with a woman in orange and a man in red at the right edge. A photographer stands near the right platform. Gold lamps and a brass vessel sit in front of the platform.2009-10-17A photograph of an indoor temple hall during an abhishekam ritual at a Shiva shrine. Several priests in saffron-orange robes stand around a central altar with a black lingam-style deity murti, a kalasha and brass lamps on the platform. Gold arched frames surround the altar, with a large gold halo behind a deity figure draped in white and red garlands. A priest in white dhoti and a woman in a white sari stand to the right near a black stone sculpture. A framed portrait of a saffron-robed figure hangs on the dark backdrop. A seated audience in white and coloured clothes fills the foreground, facing the altar.2009-10-17