Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
Outdoor homa fire ceremony at dusk on a brick fire pit built in tiers and strewn with yellow and orange marigold petals. A small flame burns at the centre with a brass vessel beside it. Three men in white dhotis sit cross-legged behind the pit; the central man wears a yellow shawl, a white kurta and a small red tilak, and extends one finger toward the fire while the man beside him in a yellow shawl and white clothes watches. A third man at left holds a ladle over a bowl. Behind them a seated audience of women in white and cream saris and children watches, with a red cloth backdrop and banana leaves. Woven baskets of offerings sit at lower right.

More like this

Open the gallery
A brick-built homa fire pit is lit with a small flame, decorated with yellow marigold petals, with coconuts, lemons and a brass vessel placed nearby. Two men in white dhotis and white shirts with yellow shawls sit cross-legged behind the pit; the foreground man gestures toward the fire with a ladle-like implement while the other sits beside him. A row of seated devotees in white, blue, red and purple saris watches from behind, and a few oil lamps line the left edge. A mic is clipped to the central man's shirt.2010-07-24Outdoor homa at dusk: a priest in white dhoti and white shirt with a yellow shawl sits before a white brick fire pit with a bright flame, pouring offerings from a ladle while a second priest in white with a yellow shawl and mala sits beside him. Marigold petals and flowers are scattered on the bricks, with small brass oil lamps and bowls of offerings arranged at the left. Behind them, a row of women in white and colourful saris sit on the ground, some with orange-and-white badges, and a white canopy stands at right.2010-07-24Outdoor fire ritual at a homa pit built of white bricks and decorated with yellow and orange marigold petals. Two young men in white dhotis and white shirts sit cross-legged at the fire. The man on the right, wearing a yellow shawl and a small lapel microphone, holds a ladle over the flames. The man beside him wears a yellow shawl and a rudraksha mala. A brass bowl sits at the left edge of the pit. Behind them, a crowd of devotees in white and blue sits and watches, including women in white and a woman in a blue sari. No one in the image is clearly identifiable as a person; the visible participants appear to be ritual assistants or devotees.2010-07-24A homa fire ritual at an outdoor ashram event. In the foreground, a brick-lined fire pit blazes with flames, surrounded by scattered yellow and red flower petals and a brass vessel on the left. A young man in white dhoti and shirt with a yellow shawl and a red tilak on his forehead, wearing a small lapel microphone, holds a ladle and pours offerings into the fire. Beside him, another young man in white with a yellow shawl sits in meditation with eyes closed. Behind them, devotees in white clothing sit on the ground, and a woman in a blue top and a woman in pink stand near a red backdrop with green foliage.2010-07-24Outdoor homa fire ceremony in a brick fire pit ringed with yellow and orange marigold petals and red flowers. Two seated young men in white dhotis and white kurtas with yellow shawls tend the flames; the man on the right holds an object over the fire and gestures with his other hand, a small microphone clipped to his shawl. A brass bowl sits at the left edge of the pit. Behind them, seated devotees in white and colourful saris watch, and a red backdrop with standing people and a bright green plant fills the background. No clearly identifiable a person figure is visible in this image.2010-07-24Outdoor homa ritual at a fire pit built of white bricks and decorated with yellow and orange marigold petals. A young man in white dhoti and shirt with a yellow shawl and rudraksha mala pours or offers something with his right hand toward the pit. Beside him, another man in a yellow shawl and mala sits cross-legged. Behind them, several people in white clothes sit on the ground, and a red cloth backdrop with banana plants stands behind the altar. Trays of bananas, apples and other fruit sit at the left edge, along with brass vessels and a small brass bowl on the pit.2010-07-24Outdoor homa ceremony in progress. A central fire pit is built from stacked white bricks decorated with yellow and orange marigold flowers and red blossoms, with brass vessels, a kalasha-style pot and fruit offerings arranged around it. In the foreground, a young man in white dhoti and kurta with a yellow shawl and a red tilak sits cross-legged and pours an offering into the fire from a small bowl. Beside him, another man in white with a yellow shawl and rudraksha mala sits close to the fire. Behind them, several white-clad devotees sit on the ground, and a red tent backdrop with banana plants stands in the background. No one in the scene is visibly identifiable as a person.2010-07-24Outdoor homa ceremony in progress on bare ground. A central fire burns inside a square fire pit built from white-painted bricks, decorated with marigold petals. A man in white dhoti and white shirt with a yellow shawl pours or offers into the fire, seated beside another man in white with a yellow shawl. Behind them many devotees, mostly women in white and colourful saris, sit on the ground watching. To the right, tiers of brass-rimmed clay pots with mango leaves and coconuts are arranged on white-draped platforms. Brass plates of offerings and flowers lie to the left, with an orange cloth in the foreground and a red-and-white backdrop behind the crowd.2010-07-24Outdoors on bare sandy ground, three men in white dhotis and white kurtas sit cross-legged before a brick fire pit where a flame burns with flower petals scattered on the bricks. The central man wears a yellow shawl and a small microphone clip, and holds a ladle or spoon over the fire. The man on the left, also in a yellow shawl with a rudraksha mala, tends a white cloth laid with brass plates of flowers, fruit, a pineapple, bowls of offerings and a red-wrapped bundle. A third man in white with a mala sits further right near a white cloth with a small plate. Behind them, seated devotees in white and blue sit on the sand, a standing figure in white walks by, and a tent stands at right with a white plastic chair and a camera tripod. This is a homa fire ceremony with offerings.2010-07-24Outdoor homa ritual at an open-air ground under a canopy with banana leaves and blue poles. A square fire pit built from white brick blocks holds a small flame, with flower petals, marigolds and offerings on the tiers. Men in white dhotis and white shirts with yellow shawls sit and perform the rite; the foreground man raises a brass vessel with one hand. Behind them seated devotees in white watch, and a red stage backdrop stands at the rear. Coconuts in woven netting and brass plates of food line the right side.2010-07-24A homa fire burns in a fire pit built from white bricks, scattered with yellow marigolds and red flowers. A man in white clothing with a yellow shawl stands at the right, holding a long metal ladle and pouring offerings into the flames. Another man in a yellow shawl sits behind him. A brass bowl rests on the brick platform beside the fire. Behind them, seated women in white and blue saris watch the ritual, with a lapel microphone visible on the standing man.2010-07-24Outdoor homa being performed on a sandy ground under a bright sky. A square fire pit built of whitewashed bricks stands at centre, decorated with yellow flowers and banana leaves, with a brass vessel and offerings of fruit and bananas nearby. Two men in white dhotis and yellow shawls sit cross-legged at the front; the nearer one, with a tilak on his forehead, holds a small bell and ladle. Behind them, rows of seated participants in white clothing with lanyards sit on the ground, and a few people stand at the back beside a red tent and a wooden fence. Coconuts in woven baskets and stainless-steel plates of offerings line the foreground.2010-07-24