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Night-time homa at an open-air ashram pavilion strung with orange and gold triangular bunting and banana-leaf garlands. A standing priest in white dhoti and shawl holds a lit lamp or flame aloft beside a fire pit. Seated white-clad participants and a row of women in orange and red saris sit on mats, with silver bowls of red kumkum or chilies and marigold garlands in front. Behind them, a colourful deity murti with a decorated background and string lights completes the scene.

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October 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight outdoor ritual under a open-sided canopy decorated with green leaf garlands, orange pennants and hanging colourful tassels. At the centre a square fire pit blazes beside a large round clay vessel, with a priest in white dhoti and turban raising a flaming lamp. Beside him stand several priests in white dhotis and shawls with palms joined, and a figure kneels at the front of the pit. Seated devotees in orange and white clothes fill the left foreground. On the right, a decorated table holds fruit, sweets and brass lamps before a large ganesha murti with a lit lighting frame behind it.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight ritual in an open-sided pavilion with a corrugated metal roof, lit by a bright overhead lamp. A standing priest in white dhoti and shawl with a beaded necklace holds up a lit flame in a lamp and smoke rises from it. Seated participants in white clothes sit on the floor around a raised platform with a small fire area, brass oil lamps, bowls of offerings, a bell and a kalasha-type vessel. Behind them a red and gold throne holds a framed portrait of a seated figure, with a bald-headed seated man in orange-ornamented dress beside it. Hanging colourful tassel decorations, orange triangular pennants and green leaf garlands decorate the ceiling, and a decorated deity murti stands at the back right on a tiered base. Several seated people in white and a few in red saris are visible in the crowd.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesA night-time homa at an outdoor pavilion. A bald priest in white dhoti and shawl stands at the centre holding a lit aarti lamp high above a sunken fire pit with a bright flame. Around the pit, several seated priests in white and one in yellow cloth chant and make offerings, with brass plates of flowers, grains and red offerings in front of them. Behind them stands a large deity murti with many arms, a lion and a mount, decorated with garlands, and smaller figures of Ganesha and other deities. Strings of coloured lights, hanging festival banners and a white canopy frame the scene. Several more people in white stand at the edges.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight ceremony under a corrugated roof decorated with hanging striped cloth tassels, orange triangular pennants and a green leaf garland. A standing priest in a white dhoti and orange-striped shawl holds a lit flame and waves it toward a seated group. A red throne with gold trim holds a framed portrait of a woman. Seated priests in white and orange wraps sit on a raised platform beside brass lamps, a kalasha-like vessel, brass plates and offerings, while a large seated crowd in white watches. This appears to be a homa or aarti ceremony.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight photograph of an outdoor homa fire ceremony under a canopy strung with green leaves, orange flags and decorative hanging tassels. A square stone fire pit with flames stands in the centre, surrounded by petals. A priest in white dhoti and an orange turban pours offerings near the fire, while a man in white with a rudraksha-style garland holds a tray. Another priest in white kneels on a mat at left with hands folded over a brass plate. To the right a table holds brass oil lamps, fruit, sweets and offering plates; a decorated elephant-headed deity murti with a garland and a second murti stand beside it, lit by colourful string lights. Seated devotees in white and orange fill the left side of the audience area.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight outdoor ritual homa at an ashram. A standing priest in white dhoti and shawl with a shaved head holds a flaming lamp aloft in the right hand, while a seated priest in white with a rudraksha-style necklace performs offerings at a raised platform. Long curved decorated arches hang overhead with tassels, and a string-lit shrine-like structure glows on the right. Rows of seated devotees in red, orange and white clothing face the fire, many with palms pressed together. Large brass trays hold red chillies and offerings beside the platform.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 15 20102010-10-15October 16 20102010-10-16 +2 copiesA night-time outdoor ritual under a tin-roofed pavilion decorated with hanging colourful lanterns, orange pennants and green leaf garlands. In the centre, a shaved-headed man in white dhoti and shawl with a gold necklace stands beside a lit oil lamp and performs a ritual near a low altar. Smoke rises from the offering area. Seated in white ritual clothes around the central platform are several priests and devotees with folded hands. On the left a person in red-and-gold cushioned seat wears an orange shawl and gold beads, while a shaved-headed man in white with rudraksha-style beads speaks into a microphone. An orange cloth covers the floor, and brass vessels, a garland and a green silk bundle sit at the front. Seated devotees fill the background.2010-10-15