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Full Moon Arunachala Pradakshina

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Sunset to the west of Arunachala

Moonrise on the day of the popular pradakshina (circumambulation) of Arunachala, when over 100,000 pilgrims walk around the mountain.

A road side snack stall, with mounds of food for the thronging pilgrims.

The pilgrims pass through Tiruvannamalai, approaching the Arunachaleshwar Temple.

A street vendor tempts passing pilgrims with entertaining diversions, in an atmosphere more like a carnival than a pilgrimage.

Pilgrims throw camphor offerings into the fire before the gates of the Arunachaleshwar Temple.

The entryway into the temple compound, thronged with pilgrims.

The meeting of two worlds.

At a roadside stop, a silver painted Gandhi entertains pilgrims and accepts donations.

On the pilgrim route one can stop and hear an astrological reading from a high-tech robot.

The route is crowded with stalls with all kinds of wares and edibles, including freshly made potato chips shown here.

A sidewalk artist has drawn a larger than life Hanuman in chalk on the road.

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