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Night photograph of a fire-walking ritual pit: a long rectangular trench of glowing black embers bordered by bamboo poles, with a crowd of devotees in white dhotis and shirts standing and seated around it. A saffron-robed figure with a garland stands near the far end of the pit, with a bright lamp and a lit kalasha-like lantern above the crowd. On the right, drummers in white clothing play large drums with red and maroon covers. In the lower left, a man in white with a beaded mala and a small badge operates a camera.

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Night photograph of a fire-walking ritual pit: a long rectangular trench filled with glowing embers and ash, bordered by dirt and bamboo railings. Behind the pit stands a group of about a dozen men in white dhotis and shirts, one central figure wearing a saffron-orange robe and rudraksha-style beads, and another in an orange shawl, with a crowd of onlookers seated on both sides. On the right, two drummers in white clothes play large drums with red and pink covers. A small kalasha or lamp-like object is held near the front of the group. Torches and lights illuminate the scene.2006-12-30December 30 20062006-12-30Night photograph of a fire-walking pit, a long trench filled with glowing charcoal and embers, bordered by bamboo poles. Behind the barrier, many men in white dhotis and white shirts stand and sit in darkness, lit by a single bright lamp above. On the right, two drums with decorative red and white fabric are played by drummers in white. A small lit lamp or altar structure appears at the top centre. A blue bucket sits at the lower left. The scene resembles a fire-walking ritual gathering.2006-12-30December 30 20062006-12-30Night photograph of a fire-walking ritual in a dirt trench filled with glowing embers and ash. Two women in white saris with coloured borders walk barefoot across the coals. Beside the trench, a man in white dhoti and shirt holds the arm of one walker, with another white-clad man nearby. Dense crowds of devotees in white clothes, some with bamboo poles, line both sides of the pit, and a few people hold bags or a bucket at the lower left. Tent fabric is visible above the crowd.2006-12-30Night photograph of a fire-walking ritual pit: a long rectangular trench of dark glowing embers bordered by bamboo poles, with straw spread on its banks. On the left a man in a white shirt holds a yellow cup and stands beside a video camera. In the centre a man in an orange robe stands near the pit, and a lamp-lit ornate object is held high above the crowd. Drummers in white dhotis play large drums at the right edge. Robed devotees in white clothes crowd the enclosure behind the poles. A faint circular logo appears at top left and a copyright notice at the bottom right.2006-12-30Night photograph of a fire-walking ritual in an open tented area crowded with devotees. A long bed of glowing embers runs down the centre, with a woman in white walking across it barefoot. Lines of people in white clothes and some in bright shirts line both sides behind bamboo barriers. Men in white shirts stand in the foreground, one wearing a lanyard, and a cameraman in white is filming. Strings of small pennants hang overhead and a decorated palanquin or ratha with a golden canopy is visible in the background among the crowd.2006-12-30December 30 20062006-12-30December 30 20062006-12-30December 30 20062006-12-30Outdoors among palm trees, a young boy in white clothes walks barefoot across a shallow trench filled with pale stones and fire-heated coals, a firewalking rite, while carrying a large red and cream drum slung at his side. Along the edges, a row of people in white dhotis, kurtas and saris watch closely, and two people at left blow long black horns. Several bystanders stand near the pit, some wearing rudraksha-style beaded necklaces. Orange-tinted water lies at the far end of the pit and a red-and-white striped tent stands behind the crowd. The setting appears to be a festival procession ground with a dirt path.2008-12-31Night photograph of a fire-walking ritual pit at a temple ground. Glowing embers and grey ash fill a narrow trench in the foreground, bordered by bamboo poles and rough wooden railings. A crowd of about twenty people in white dhotis, white shirts and white sarees stands behind the barrier, several with hands raised or folded, while one man in a light tan shirt bends near the pit edge. A lit kalasha-like shrine with orange flames and a bright lamp sits in the background beneath a row of strung pennant flags and palm fronds. Smoke rises from the fire.2006-12-30