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Night outdoor ritual photo. A man in white dhoti and shawl, wearing a cream turban and a gold-beaded necklace, sits barefoot on an ornate red and gold throne. To the left, a shaved-headed priest in white with a gold necklace sits behind a microphone holding a book. In front, a square homa fire pit with white-painted edges, flower petals, a brass oil lamp with burning flame, a silver kalasha pot and a conch shell. Several seated women in red and saffron saris and children watch on the right, with silver trays of red offerings. Hanging yellow and green decorated pillars, marigold garlands and leaf festoons frame the stage. Both men are shown in ritual dress; a portrait labelled Paramahamsa Nithyananda could not be read.

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Night outdoor ritual stage with a central man seated on an ornate red velvet throne with gold trim, wearing a white one-shoulder cloth, a light-coloured turban and a gold bead necklace, hands folded in his lap. Beside him, a shaven-headed priest in white dhoti with gold beads sits before a microphone. A square white-draped fire pit with flower petals and brass vessels lies in front, with a tall brass oil lamp lit at left and a pink garlanded object nearby. Mango-leaf garlands and painted cylindrical banners hang behind. Several women and children in saris sit on the right near trays of red offerings.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight outdoor homa ceremony at a white-tiled fire pit with a square raised hearth filled with dark ash and flower petals. A man in white dhoti and a saffron-and-white turban, wearing gold neck ornaments, sits on an ornate red-and-gold throne behind the pit, facing the crowd. Two priests in white robes with red borders sit at the pit; one speaks into a microphone, another in white sits near the front. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha-style vessel, a red flower garland and offerings surround the hearth. Decorative hanging cloth and mango-leaf strands are strung overhead, and a large audience of mostly white-clad and orange-clad devotees fills the right side of the frame.2010-10-16Night outdoor ceremony under a canopy of mango-leaf strings and tall painted pillars. A man in white dhoti and shawl with a cream turban and gold necklaces sits on an ornate red and gold throne, appearing to speak. A younger shaved-headed priest in white and orange-marked cloth sits on a mat beside a microphone stand. Brass oil lamps, a basket of fruit and a small ceremonial fire area with a black stone platform decorated with flower petals are in front. Women in red saris sit on the right with brass plates of red offerings. A printed banner on the right shows a deity image. Several people stand in the background.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight outdoor ceremony under a decorated canopy strung with mango leaves and a floral garland. A man in an ornate gold-and-red throne is seated centrally, wearing a cream turban, white dhoti-style cloth, and multiple beaded necklaces; he is smiling. Before him, a shaved-headed man in white with a red-bordered cloth kneels at a stone yajna pit or homa platform strewn with flower petals and brass vessels, holding offerings. To the right, an older bearded man with white hair, bare chest, body markings and beaded necklaces sits with hands folded in namaste, and a shaved-headed attendant in white stands at the edge. A man in saffron clothes stands near the throne holding a ceremonial item, and young girls in red and maroon traditional dress with flowers in their hair sit at left. Painted decorative pillars and a red flag frame the scene.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight ceremony at an open-air ashram stage decorated with banana leaves and tall painted pillars. A central figure sits on an ornate gold-trimmed red throne, wearing a white dhoti and shawl, a saffron-coloured turban and a long gold-and-bead necklace, with long dark hair swept back. Beside him a seated man in a saffron robe rests on a cream chair, and another saffron-robed monk stands behind. A man in a white dhoti with a maroon border stands at left, and a kneeling man in a green and pink silk garment holds a brass lamp near a square fire pit with a flame and flower petals. Brass kalasha vessels and a small silver pot sit on the white platform, and seated spectators watch from the dark.2010-10-16Night outdoor homa ceremony with smoke rising from a white stepped fire pit lined with marigold petals and offerings. A man in white ceremonial clothes, wearing a saffron-coloured turban and a gold-beaded necklace, sits smiling on an ornate red and gold throne. Beside the pit a priest in saffron-orange garments kneels tending the fire. Other figures in white and orange stand behind, and a woman in a white sari stands at left. Brass lamps, kalasha pots, fruit, flower garlands and a bundle of green cloth sit on a foreground table. Above, banana-leaf festoons hang between tall decorated pillars and a large ring, and a backdrop with printed text is visible at right.2010-10-16Night-time outdoor homa ceremony under a open canopy strung with green leaf garlands and hanging colourful cloth banners. A person in a white robe and white head covering sits on an ornate red and gold throne at the upper left, with a microphone-style setup nearby. In the centre, a square fire pit lined with white stone is surrounded by two priests in white dhoti with bare upper bodies and rudraksha-style neck garlands, seated on mats and performing offerings. Brass lamps, silver vessels, brass plates of grains and flowers, and a red cloth-wrapped bundle sit on the orange cloth. Several rows of seated devotees in orange, red and white clothing fill the middle and background, with a tall decorated structure at the right.2010-10-16Night outdoor homa at an ashram with a square fire pit lined with marigold petals and a smoking altar at the center. A man in white dhoti and shawl with a gold necklace sits smiling on an ornate red and gold throne, his legs crossed and a golden turban on his head. Beside him a robed elder in orange sits on a white chair with a shaved head and white beard. Behind them a man in orange robes stands, and a seated man in white with a yellow-beaded necklace sits near the fire. A woman in white saree stands at left, another figure bends over offerings including brass oil lamps, bell and kalasha pots, bananas, and a green cloth with red flower garlands. Hanging mango leaves, marigold strings and a banner with pictures decorate the background.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 15 20102010-10-15 +1 copiesNight outdoor homa at an ashram. A fire burns in a square fire pit lined with white cloth and scattered yellow and orange flowers, with brass lamps, a kalasha-like vessel, a silver bowl and a ladle at its edge. Seated on a red and gold throne, a man in white dhoti and shawl, a white turban and multiple beaded necklaces watches the fire; the appearance-based cues are a turban and ornate necklaces, so he is a probable Swamiji candidate, seated in a position of honour beside an elderly man in an orange-brown robe in a cushioned chair. A standing man in orange robes stands behind, and a seated man in white with a green and red-bordered cloth lays out puja items in the foreground. A large seated audience of women and girls in white, red and saffron saris fills the background under hanging banana-leaf decorations.2010-10-16