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Outdoor river bathing scene at a Kumbh Mela shahi snan. A man in white dhoti and shawl with gold necklaces stands waist-deep in greenish water, hands joined. Around him, saffron-robed sadhus with rudraksha malas and gold beads, and white-clad devotees, stand on the bank; several hold red, green and yellow umbrellas. A man with long matted dreadlocks is partly submerged in the foreground, and a small metal kalasha-like vessel floats nearby. Orange temple spires appear behind the crowd under a bright blue sky.

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A photograph of a river bathing ritual at a Kumbh Mela shahi snan, with people standing waist-deep in greenish water. In the foreground a man with long dreadlocks bows forward into the water, his head down, wearing a red-brown cloth around his waist and gold bangles on his arm. Behind him a man in white dhoti and gold garland stands with hands joined in prayer, while several sadhus in orange robes with gold beaded necklaces and bare shoulders stand nearby. Colourful umbrellas in red, yellow and green are raised above the crowd, and a silver kalasha-like vessel floats in the water at left. A pink temple tower and blue sky form the background, and a crowd of devotees lines the bank.2016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22A photograph of a river ritual in shallow water. A person with long, dark, wet hair is bent forward and submerged, held by two men in white dhotis with rudraksha malas, one with a light horizontal tilak on his forehead. Behind them, a crowd stands in the water and on the bank, including men in white dhotis and orange-saffron garments with gold chains, and a man in a maroon robe holding a tall staff with a gold top. A cameraperson with a video camera stands among them. Water splashes around the submerged figure.2016-05-09Outdoor photograph of a sadhu bathing in a river at a Kumbh Mela shahi snan procession. In the foreground a man with long matted dreadlocks, wearing a rust-red cloth and gold armbands, is wading into the water with his head bowed. Behind him a robed figure in white with a gold necklace holds a red-and-gold ceremonial staff. A bald man in saffron-orange clothing with beaded malas and gold necklaces stands near the water, and several men in ochre and orange robes and beads watch. Behind them stands a red-and-cream building with an orange temple spire, and a crowd of onlookers and cameramen fills the background under a bright sky. A red ceremonial umbrella is visible at the top of the frame.2016-04-22April 22 20162016-04-22A photograph of a river bathing ritual. In the center, a person with long dark matted hair bends forward almost fully submerged in brownish water, held by the hands of a man in white dhoti and gold-bordered shawl standing waist-deep. Around them, several people in white dhotis with gold borders and maroon or red sashes stand in the water, some wearing gold and beaded necklaces. On the right, a man in saffron-orange robes and a gold necklace stands at the water's edge, and a bare-chested man wears a gold necklace. Behind them, a crowd and a pink-and-red umbrella or canopy are visible, with flags raised above the crowd.2016-05-09Outdoor photograph of a sacred bathing ritual in shallow water. A long-haired sadhu with dreadlocks bends forward, water spraying from his hair, while a white-robed man with gold necklaces and a gold waist sash stands nearby. Several saffron-robed sannyasis wearing gold beaded malas and gold bangles crowd around. Above them are colourful umbrellas in red, yellow and green, with a peach-coloured temple gateway and blue sky behind. A silver kalasha vessel floats in the water in the lower left. Crowd members, including a woman in white, observe the snan.2016-04-22May 09th 20162016-05-09May 09th 20162016-05-09A photograph of a shahi-snan style ritual bathing in shallow water. A long-haired figure in the centre is being submerged or immersed face-down, their dark, long hair spread across the water, while two men in white and light clothing with gold-coloured borders steady them on either side. Water splashes around them. Behind, several men in white dhotis with gold and red borders and red shoulder cloths stand in the water, some wearing rudraksha malas and gold chains. A man in an orange cloth holds a gold-topped staff, and a person in red robes stands at the right edge. A camera operator with a video camera is visible at the top right.2016-05-09April 22 20162016-04-22Outdoor photograph of a shahi snan bathing scene at a river ghat. A sadhu with long matted black dreadlocks, seen from behind, stands waist-deep in greenish water with his arms held by two saffron-robed attendants. Around them stand devotees and sadhus in orange and red robes with gold and rudraksha necklaces and red-beaded armbands, some holding a red-and-white flagpole and a green-and-red ceremonial umbrella. Orange temple walls and a spire rise behind under a clear blue sky.2016-04-22