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Outdoor ritual under a corrugated roof with palm trees, saffron pennants and striped cloth banners overhead. A standing priest in white dhoti and shawl, bare-chested with a mala, holds a lit camphor flame in a bell-shaped aarti lamp, offering it toward a curved brass stand. Seated priests in white with red-bordered cloth and yellow waistbands sit on mats, several with hands joined in prayer. Brass oil lamps, a silver plate of marigold petals, cloth bundles and a framed portrait with a saffron-clad figure sit nearby, with stone sculptures visible in the background. The scene reads as an aarti during a temple-style puja.

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October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 15 20102010-10-15Outdoor ritual photograph of a homa or puja under an open pavilion strung with mango-leaf garlands, triangular pennants and tall decorated pillars. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti and shawl with a red and gold border stands at centre, holding a flaming lamp over a brass vessel. Seated white-clad priests chant and sit around a low ritual platform with brass lamps and offerings, one wearing a long green garment and red garland. Behind them a framed portrait of a saffron-robed figure sits on an ornate gold-and-red chair, and a banner printed with a saffron-clad figure hangs to the right. Coconut palms and stone deity sculptures fill the background.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOutdoor puja under a tin-roofed pavilion with palm trees behind. A bald priest in white dhoti and shawl stands at right, holding a lit flame on a brass lamp toward a deity murti. Seated devotees in white and a woman in green sari sit on mats before offerings of fruit, flowers, coconut and brass lamps. Strings of triangular flags and hanging decorative pillars frame the scene. A framed deity image sits on the central altar with a red and green cloth backdrop.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16Night outdoor ritual photograph. A priest in white dhoti and shawl with red-bordered edges, wearing a beaded necklace, stands centre holding a lit flame in a brass vessel while waving it before him. Around him, seated devotees in white clothing with palms pressed together face the scene; one has a shaved head and tilak markings, another wears a gold necklace. In front, brass lamps, bowls of offerings, marigold garlands and a green and purple cloth sit on a low platform. Palm fronds, bamboo-hung leaf garlands and a decorated banner hang overhead, with circular metal hoops above. The scene suggests an aarti or homa-style puja.2010-10-15Night photograph of a homa fire ritual in an outdoor courtyard. A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl with red border and a gold bead necklace holds a lit lamp over a square black fire pit edged with white and scattered flowers. Another priest in white with gold beads sits cross-legged beside a brass bell and offerings. A man in white with a yellow shawl photographs the scene with a camera, and bright red and yellow lights decorate a building behind. Brass lamps, a carved wooden seat and fruit trays surround the ritual area, with devotees seated in front.2010-10-16October 15 20102010-10-15A night-time ritual at an open-sided pavilion decorated with orange and white triangular bunting, hanging cloth banners and a garland of green leaves. A man with a shaved head, wearing a white dhoti with red borders and a white shawl, a gold-coloured necklace and a bracelet, raises a lit aarti lamp with a large flame high above his head. Several seated devotees in white clothes with their hands folded in prayer sit in the foreground, and deity murti statues stand along the back. A printed banner on a stand shows colourful painted figures. The scene suggests an aarti at a puja.2010-10-16 +1 copies