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A photograph of a homa ritual at night in a temple hall lit by string lights. A bald priest in white dhoti with red borders and gold chain stands at left, holding a silver tray and sprinkling offerings toward a smoking fire pit. Behind the fire, large deity murtis with ornate white and silver backdrops, garlands and red-and-green garments are visible, along with brass lamps and a kalasha. Another priest in white stands center-right beside a brass bell and lamp, and an arm reaches in from the right holding a ritual implement over a bowl of flowers. Smoke rises across the lower frame.

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October 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight-time homa at a temple shrine with a smoking fire pit in the foreground. A priest in white dhoti and shawl with a gold necklace and a red-bordered cloth stands at left holding a silver tray of offerings. Beside him another priest in white with a rudraksha-style necklace attends the fire. Behind them a large decorated deity murti of a goddess with a crown and white flower garlands sits under an ornate white umbrella canopy, with lit oil lamps and brass vessels on the altar. A devotee's hand holding a spoon appears at lower right. Strings of lights glow at left.2010-10-16Photograph of a night homa ritual before a large deity murti decorated with white floral arches and an umbrella canopy. A bald priest in white dhoti with red border and gold necklaces stands at left holding a silver tray, while a second white-clad priest beside him holds a brass bowl. Smoke rises from a fire pit in the foreground, and oil lamps burn near the central deity. Another figure in white stands behind the fire pit, and red-and-white lights line the background. Several other deity figures are arranged beside the central murti.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16A photograph of a temple ritual in a covered hall at night. A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl, with red border and a gold necklace, holds a silver tray of grain or offerings while another white-clad priest stands beside him. Behind them is a large decorated deity murti with a white floral and silver arch, flanked by smaller murtis in garlands. Smoke rises from a fire pit in the foreground, and brass oil lamps and a metal vessel sit on the altar. A hand with a bangle holds a ladle at the lower right. Strings of red lights hang at the left.2010-10-16A photograph of a night-time puja at a temple shrine. In the foreground, a shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and white upper cloth with a red border holds a silver tray of grains or offerings with both hands and sprinkles them toward the shrine. He wears a gold-toned beaded necklace and a small tilak on his forehead. Behind him, two more priests in white dhotis attend the shrine. The shrine holds a large deity murti of a goddess with many arms, decorated with white flower garlands and a silver halo. A large ornate parasol-like canopy hangs above. Brass oil lamps burn at the lower right, and a string of coloured lights glows in the background. Several people in white stand at the left edge.2010-10-16A night-time homa or puja at a temple shrine with a large deity murti of Devi, multi-armed and adorned with white floral decorations and a garland, under a white canopy. In the foreground a priest in white dhoti and shawl with red border, gold chain and tilak, pours grains or offerings from a silver plate into the fire pit. Another priest in white kneels beside him, and a standing figure at right tends a brass lamp. Small oil lamps and flower petals surround the altar, with red fairy lights behind the left side.2010-10-16Night puja at a decorated temple shrine. A shaven-headed priest in white dhoti with a red-bordered cloth over his left shoulder holds a silver plate of grains or offerings toward a large goddess murti with many arms, adorned with silver-coloured ornaments and a floral garland. Another white-clad priest stands behind him, and a third attends at the right. Brass oil lamps and flowers sit on the altar, with strings of red and white lights and a cloth canopy overhead. Smoke rises in the lamplit hall. A standing figure in a rudraksha-style necklace appears at the left edge. Several other people stand in the background.2010-10-16Night-time ritual photograph of a homa at a shrine decorated for a goddess. Three priests in white dhotis and shawls, with rudraksha-style beaded necklaces, perform the fire ritual over a white stone fire pit where a flame burns. The standing priest pours from a brass vessel, a kneeling priest tends the fire with a ladle, and another kneeling priest at left holds a brass pot. Behind them, several women in red and orange saris sit in a row. The backdrop holds a large white-framed deity murti with a multi-armed goddess figure and a lion mount, flanked by other painted and ornamented images, a fringed canopy, string lights and red and orange decorations. Marigold petals are scattered around the fire pit.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight photo of a homa ritual at an outdoor pavilion. A bald priest in white dhoti and shawl with red border stands at a fire pit, pouring offerings from a silver plate onto the flames, with smoke rising. Behind him is a large deity murti with a crown and a decorated silver arch, flanked by smaller figures and ornamented altar backdrops. Brass lamps, a kalasha-like vessel, fruit and flower offerings sit on the stone platform. Two other white-clad attendants stand to the left, with strings of red and white lights in the background.2010-10-16