Temple Tank, Tamil Nadu

The photographer has not only shown us this Hindu temple from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, but also one aspect of how people worshiped there: the ritual bath. He placed the temple’s tank in the foreground, with ghats (steps leading into the water), bathers, and a temple chariot for the procession of bronzes during festivals occupying the middle ground. In the background is a high gopura, a gateway that marks the entry into the temple’s grounds. When seen through a stereo viewer, the two images—each taken from a slightly different angle—create the illusion of a three-dimensional scene.