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A colourful temple gopuram sculpture of painted stucco deities. At the centre a seated blue-skinned deity plays a veena, wearing a gold crown, gold necklaces and armlets, with a small snake at his side. Flanking him are four standing bearded sages with long hair and rudraksha malas, bare-chested and in white loincloths, hands joined in anjali mudra. Above, a seated multi-armed deity with attendants sits on a pink pedestal, and two seated bearded ascetics in saffron-toned and white dress sit on side pedestals beneath orange and turquoise scrollwork. These are statues, not living people.

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A close view of a colourful temple gopuram facade in Madurai style, filled with painted stucco sculptures. At the centre, a blue-skinned deity murti plays a flute while seated on a globe-like base, wearing gold ornaments and a garland. Above, a seated bearded sage with a mala and a seated deity figure with a crown flank the tiers. Lower down, four bare-chested, bearded ascetic figures stand with palms pressed together in namaskar, wearing rudraksha-style beads and white loincloths. Carved floral motifs and golden lotus-like ornaments frame the scene. No living people are visible.2012-05-29Close view of a colourfully painted temple gopuram with tiers of stone sculptures. Central niche holds a standing deity murti with a crown and blue dhoti, flanked by attendant figures with raised hands in gold ornaments. Seated sages on top wear dark matted hair, rudraksha-style beads and bare upper bodies. Carved floral finials in turquoise, pink and gold frame the tiers. No living people are visible.2012-05-29May 29 20122012-05-29 +1 copiesClose-up photograph of a richly painted temple gopuram sculpture showing a seated multi-armed deity murti at centre on a lotus pedestal, flanked by lion or yali figures and smaller carved devotees with hands in anjali mudra. Carved attendant figures hold swords and tridents, and the surrounding frame has vivid blue, red, green and gold painted scrollwork with peacock-feather motifs. No physical people are present; all figures are stone or plaster sculptures.2012-05-29 +1 copiesMay 29 20122012-05-29 +1 copiesA photograph of a brightly painted gopuram tier at a South Indian temple, showing a row of painted stucco deity sculptures on a tiered tower. On the left, Shiva and Parvati sit together on a white bull, Nandi, with Shiva in gold and Parvati in green. Beside them stands a golden figure holding a bow. At centre, a four-armed deity in white dhoti and gold ornaments holds a bow and arrow. Further right, a blue-skinned figure in red and gold garments stands, and at the far right a white-clad deity with gold crown and green drape stands under an arched canopy. The sculptures are set against pink, blue, yellow and red architectural mouldings. No living people are visible.2012-05-29 +1 copiesA richly painted Hindu temple gopuram facade crowded with colourful stucco sculptures of deities and attendants. In the central niche stands a multi-armed deity murti in gold and grey tones. Flanking figures include female attendants holding a fan and a whisk, and a small seated Ganesha figure with an elephant head at lower right. Above, seated figures and ornate turquoise, red and gold scrollwork decorate the tiers. No people are visible; the statues are the subject, and the page's a person reference does not appear in the image.2012-05-29 +1 copiesClose-up of a densely carved gopuram tower covered with brightly painted stucco sculptures of deities, celestial figures and mythical beasts in turquoise, yellow, red, green and white. A blue-skinned four-armed deity in yellow dhoti and gold jewellery stands at centre, flanked by multi-armed figures and lion-faced guardians. No physical people are visible; the figures are all sculptures. a person does not appear in the frame.2012-05-29 +1 copiesColorful temple gopuram sculpture of multiple deity statues in painted stucco, shown as a photograph of a temple tower facade. Central figure is a multi-armed dancing deity with a crescent on the crown, standing on a small serpent, flanked by painted attendant figures in gold, white, green and pink clothing and tall pointed headdresses. Above are ornate arched pediments in orange, teal, yellow and blue. These are statues, not living people.2012-05-29 +1 copiesClose view of a richly painted Dravidian-style temple gopuram facade with stone sculptures in bright polychrome. Upper tier shows four seated bearded sages with long hair, rudraksha-style necklaces and bare torsos, their hands raised in blessing. Lower tier shows multi-armed deity figures in ornate crowns, jewelled necklaces and dhoti-style garments, painted in blue, red, green and gold, with a central standing figure holding objects in several hands. The scene is decorative temple architecture; no living people are visible.2012-05-29May 29 20122012-05-29 +1 copiesMay 29 20122012-05-29 +1 copies