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Outdoor homa ceremony beneath a large spreading banyan tree with aerial roots. A square fire pit lined with yellow-brown bricks sends up smoke at the centre, with white kolam designs drawn on the sandy ground around it. A woman in a white sari with a yellow border sits on a chair at the right, hands raised in a gesture, a microphone stand before her, with an oil lamp and brass plates of offerings beside her. Behind the fire, rows of seated devotees in white clothes, many wearing rudraksha malas, sit with hands folded in prayer. A few devotees in saffron-orange garments are visible among them, and a young girl in red and white sits at the left near a basket of green leaves and flowers on a white-draped stand. A large seated crowd fills the background under the trees.

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Outdoor photo under a large spreading tree at an open-air gathering. A figure with long dark hair in a white garment with a yellow shawl sits on the ground at the right, facing a brick fire pit with a bright flame, a microphone stand beside them and brass bowls and flower offerings nearby. A seated audience of many people in white clothes and rudraksha malas faces them on the sand, with several saffron-robed figures in orange among them. At left, a raised white-draped seat is decorated with green leaves and flowers. Ritual kolam designs are drawn on the ground, and a hanging bell hangs from a branch.2005-01-24Outdoor fire ritual beneath a large spreading banyan tree on bare sandy ground. A brick-lined fire pit with a burning flame sits at the centre, surrounded by yellow-orange bricks and rangoli-style white line drawings. Seated in front of the fire, a long-haired person in a white and yellow garment holds a long wooden stick or ladle over the flames, a small kalasha or lamp on a stand beside them. Beside them a person in an orange saffron wrap bends forward near the fire. Behind, rows of seated devotees in white clothes with rudraksha-style beaded malas sit on red mats, some with hands folded, while standing attendants in white move about on the right. Fruit offerings on a plate and a potted plant with a basket sit at the edges of the frame. This appears to be a homa or yagna with an audience.2005-01-24Outdoor homa ceremony beneath a large spreading banyan tree. A brick-lined fire pit with bright flames sits in the foreground on sandy ground decorated with white kolam designs. A woman in a white sari with a gold-bordered yellow shawl sits at right, facing the fire and performing the ritual, with a brass lamp and flower-decorated plates nearby. Behind the fire, rows of seated devotees in white clothes and rudraksha malas face the fire, with a few in orange. A tall bearded man with long dark hair, wearing an orange shawl over white robes, stands at far right. A white-draped altar with a potted plant and a basket of flowers stands at left. Visible people number roughly 50-60.2005-01-24Outdoor homa or yagna under a wide tree canopy: a brick fire pit with a flame sits center-left, while a young woman in white at left, seated on a low wooden stool, gestures toward it with a ladle or spoon. Plates of flowers, a brass vessel and offerings lie on the ground in front. Behind the fire, a richly decorated deity murti with a flower garland and yellow ornamented robe sits on a rocky platform with floral garlands. Rows of seated devotees in white clothes with rudraksha malas face the fire, with a few wearing orange, while a standing man in white and a camera on a tripod stand among them. Rangoli-style white designs decorate the ground.2005-01-24Outdoor photo beneath a large banyan tree with sprawling aerial roots and branches. Dozens of devotees in white clothing sit on sandy ground in rows. A fire pit made of stacked yellow bricks sends up smoke, with offerings and a kalasha-like vessel nearby. A person in orange and white kneels at the fire pit while others stand in white and a camera on a tripod records the ceremony. The ground is scattered with rangoli-style markings.2005-01-24Outdoor homa or fire ritual at an open-air ashram setting. A brick fire pit with yellow-painted bricks burns with visible flames, surrounded by white chalk kolam designs on the ground. A seated figure in a white robe with gold-yellow shawl and long dark hair officiates, holding a ritual implement over the fire and a brass bell or small vessel nearby. Brass bowls, a kalasha-like vessel, plates of offerings and a tray with flowers sit around the fire. Behind, a seated congregation of about two dozen devotees in white clothing and rudraksha malas sits on mats, many with hands folded in prayer, including a woman in a teal shawl and women in white saris. A microphone stand stands beside the officiant.2005-01-24 +1 copiesOutdoor homa under a large spreading banyan tree with many aerial roots. A square brick fire pit with a small flame sits on bare sandy ground decorated with white kolam designs. Around it, a large seated gathering wears mostly white clothes, with a few in orange and one woman in teal. Some hold palm-leaf or green sprigs. Near the fire, a woman in white sits behind a brass plate of offerings, fruit, flowers and a small lamp, beside a standing drum and a microphone stand. A child in red sits at the right edge. Offerings and fruit are arranged on trays nearby.2005-01-24January 24 20052005-01-24March 08 20052005-03-08Outdoor fire ritual under a large banyan tree with dense aerial roots. A square stepped fire pit of yellow-orange bricks holds a small burning fire. A man in a white dhoti and white head wrap sits cross-legged on the left, tending the fire with a long ladle-like implement, with a bronze bowl beside him. A bearded man with long dark hair wears an orange-saffron shawl over white clothing and holds a small object while standing near the pit. Behind them, seated devotees in white and saffron clothing and several standing people watch. On the right, a decorated table draped in white holds a garlanded deity murti with orange, red and yellow flower garlands, flanked by brass vessels and a silver urn. A red and gold ornate umbrella hangs above the altar.2005-03-08 +1 copiesOutdoor ritual under a large spreading banyan tree with hanging aerial roots. A figure in an orange-saffron robe with long dark hair stands bowing at a square brick fire pit (homa kund) where a ceremony is performed. Beside him a figure in white with a white head wrap kneels with hands folded near the fire. A crowd of devotees dressed in white sits on the sand in rows, many with hands in anjali, and standing people in white line the back. On the right a white-draped table holds orange and yellow garlands, brass lamps and a small deity arrangement under a red and orange patterned umbrella. Brass oil lamps and leaf plates with offerings sit on the ground at left and in the foreground.2005-03-08Outdoor photo beneath a large spreading banyan tree with hanging aerial roots. A large crowd of devotees dressed mostly in white sits on sandy ground in rows, many with palms pressed together. In the centre, a small square brick fire pit with a visible flame sits among decorative floor kolam designs. Near the fire, a seated figure in white is surrounded by offerings and brass vessels. To the right, a standing man in an orange shawl over white clothing gestures toward the gathering, while another standing man in white stands further right. A video camera on a tripod is set up at the left foreground to record the gathering. Roughly fifty to a hundred people are visible.2005-01-24