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A photograph of a Chandi Homa ritual held before a decorated deity shrine. At the centre stands a large murti of the goddess Durga, multi-armed and crowned, mounted on a lion, framed by white ornamental arches and umbrellas. Flanking figures include a pink Ganesha murti at left and other deity figures with garlands. Around the front platform, about eight shaved-headed priests in white dhotis and shawls sit cross-legged, several wearing ceremonial gold necklaces and rudraksha malas. Brass plates, bowls, lit oil lamps, bundled sticks and fruit are laid out before them. A seated priest at left tends the ritual items while the others chant. Green leaf garlands hang overhead, and a red-orange wall and printed banner with Kannada text form the backdrop. Two figures at right appear to be seated in the background, and a framed portrait sits at the far right edge.

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October 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +2 copiesA ritual yagna scene at an outdoor shrine decorated with a white arched canopy and colourful umbrellas. Behind a central goddess murti with a lion mount and a pink Ganesha murti stand decorated deity figures with garlands and red and white drapery. In front, several men in white dhotis and shawls sit on a white cloth, with some bare-chested, tending oil lamps, brass vessels, bowls of fruit, and bundles of sticks arranged for a homa. The surroundings include a banner of green mango leaves and a red wall. Bare-chested and shaved-headed figures suggest priests performing a puja.2010-10-16 +2 copiesA photograph of a Chandi Homa ritual held outdoors in front of a painted terracotta-red wall. At the centre stands a large white-and-red deity murti of Goddess Durga, multi-armed and crowned, riding a lion, decorated with a white floral backdrop and garlands. Flanking shrines hold a Ganesha murti with a red garland and another deity on a white arch. Several shaven-headed young priests in white dhotis and white shawls sit cross-legged on white cloth before the shrine, offering ritual items; one holds a ritual object. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha, fruit, bundles of sugarcane, and wooden sticks for the fire ritual are arranged on the floor, and a tall saffron-and-blue striped umbrella and bunting of mango leaves frame the scene. A poster on the right shows a small figure amid Kannada text.2010-10-16 +2 copiesOutdoor Navaratri puja at a temple-like courtyard decorated with green leaf garlands and colourful hanging tassels. Under an orange-and-white canopy, a large deity murti of a goddess riding a lion sits in a white ornate arch, flanked by smaller figures and a pink Ganesha-like statue. Several men in white dhotis sit cross-legged on an orange cloth, performing a puja with oil lamps, brass plates, coconuts, flowers and bundled sticks. A man in white stands at left. On the right, an empty red-cushioned throne with gold trim holds a framed portrait of a saffron-clad figure. A printed banner reads Dasara and Jagatguru Ashram.2010-10-16 +1 copiesA covered outdoor ritual space with orange-painted walls and a corrugated roof hung with green leaf garlands and striped cloth tassels. In the centre stands a large deity murti of a goddess with multiple arms, seated on a lion, framed by a white ornamental arch and decorated with flower garlands; smaller white-framed deity images flank her. Several men in white dhotis and bare upper bodies sit on an orange mat before the altar, with brass oil lamps, plates of offerings, fruit, red flower petals, and bundled plant stalks in front. A standing priest in white attends the altar on the left, and a red velvet and gold chair stands empty to the right beside a framed portrait, with a large orange banner behind. The scene reads as a puja ritual; the seated participants are not clearly identifiable as any particular individual.2010-10-16 +2 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16Night outdoor ritual before a large multi-armed goddess Durga murti seated on a lion, with a crowned, ornate backdrop and white decorative arches. Two priests in white dhotis sit on a raised white platform in front of a fire pit and offerings: the priest on the left has his palms pressed together in prayer and a rudraksha-style bead necklace, while the priest on the right wears a white cloth with red borders and gold chains. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha-style vessel, bowls of fruit, flowers, coconuts and heaps of powder sit in front. Tall decorated pillars with tassels frame the scene, and a banner at right shows Kannada text.2010-10-13October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesEvening homa at a temple shrine. Central deity murti of a multi-armed goddess with a long black braid stands on a lion, holding weapons, framed by a white lace-like arch and a fringed white canopy. Flanking murtis include a pink Ganesha with a trunk and two smaller goddess figures in white arches. Brass oil lamps stand on the white altar platform, with bowls of fruit, flowers and offerings below. Two men in white dhotis sit in front: the one on the left wears a gold chain and a white shawl, the one on the right is shaven-headed with a red-bordered white cloth over his shoulder. Dried wood and banana-leaf offerings lie at the bottom edge. Colourful tassels hang from pillars and a poster on the right shows a figure in orange.2010-10-13