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Night-time photograph of a Chandi homa ritual in a temple pavilion. A priest in white dhoti with bare upper body and gold armlet sits cross-legged at a white marble fire altar, handling a ritual object over brass vessels and kalasha. Behind him stands a large deity murti decorated with white floral arches, garlands and a red-robed goddess form. Beside the altar, a figure in white dhoti and a white turban sits in an ornate red throne with gold trim, and another seated person in white is nearby. Bowls of red kumkum or flowers and oil lamps surround the altar, with string lights in the background and a beige armchair to the right.

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October 16 20102010-10-16A night-time homa scene at an outdoor ashram pavilion. In the centre, a seated priest in white dhoti and shawl, with a shaved head and gold necklace, tends a square white stone fire pit (homa kunda) with offerings and vessels. Behind him, a row of colourful deity murtis, including a goddess figure with multiple arms and a lion, stands under white floral arches. A figure in a turban and white robes sits on a red and gold throne at right, with a plain cream armchair nearby, and a second priest in white sits beside the fire pit. Red chillies are heaped on silver trays and cloth in the foreground, and string lights, kalasha pots and banners decorate the background.2010-10-16 +1 copiesA photograph of a Chandi homa at night inside a decorated temple pandal. A white-clad priest kneels before a square white fire pit with a black slab, while offering items and brass vessels sit on its steps. Behind, a large deity murti of a goddess with multiple arms stands under a white ornate arch, flanked by lamps. A bearded sannyasi with a turban and white forehead and arm markings, wearing rust-orange robes, raises his hands in front of a tray. Another white-turbaned man holds a silver plate. Several boys in white sit near the murtis. Strings of fairy lights, a brass oil lamp and scattered petals complete the scene.2010-10-16Night photograph of a Chandi Homa ritual held outdoors under a canopy. Several large deity murtis draped in white garlands and flower decorations stand in the background, including a goddess figure in red and gold with a flower garland. In the foreground, a priest in white dhoti and bare upper body sits cross-legged at a stone homa fire pit, tending the fire with a long ladle. Trays of red offerings and copper vessels lie on white cloth. Beyond the pit, a person in white dhoti and shawl with a white turban and gold necklaces sits on an ornate red and gold throne, with a priest in white seated beside him reading from a text on a stand. Strings of lights and colourful pillars decorate the space.2010-10-16 +1 copiesA night-time homa ritual in progress before a decorated shrine with a large deity murti surrounded by floral garlands and white ornamental arches. A square fire pit with white marble edges sits in the foreground beside brass vessels, a bell, incense, and scattered flower petals. Smoke rises through the scene. Several priests in white dhotis and orange cloth sit on the floor, one wearing a rudraksha-style mala. On the right, a man in white ritual clothing sits on a red-cushioned throne with a gold frame, wearing a white turban and holding a plate, while a man in an orange cloth and white turban sits in a cream armchair beside him. Red fairy lights decorate the backdrop.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight-time homa ritual under a temporary pandal with a tiled roof and hanging festive lights. At the centre, a bald priest in white dhoti and shawl pours from a brass vessel over a white fire-altar platform, with brass bells, a bowl and a small lamp set before him. Another white-clad priest kneels and assists beside a sprinkle of petals. Behind, women in red and maroon saris sit in rows, several wearing gold jewellery. Above the altar stand large decorated deity murti, adorned with white floral garlands and an umbrella canopy. Scattered wood sticks lie on the white cloth in the foreground.2010-10-16A night-time homa ritual before a large deity murti of a goddess with multiple arms, decorated with white floral backdrop and a canopy above. In the foreground, a priest in white dhoti and shawl raises his arm beside a square fire pit with a dark ash surface, brass pots, oil lamps and scattered flowers. Smoke rises through the frame. Seated to the right, a man in white with a yellow shawl and bead necklace sits on a red and gold throne-like chair holding a tray, while beside him a man in orange robes with white markings on his arms and forehead sits on a cushion. Several other seated figures in orange and red clothing face the fire, and string lights glow in the background.2010-10-16A night-time homa or yagna at a temple shrine decorated with red string lights and a large ornate deity murti of a goddess in the background. In the foreground, a shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and sacred thread kneels on the left with hands folded in prayer, while a standing priest in white robes and a shawl holds a lamp or ritual implement beside a square black homa pit lined with white marble and scattered flower petals. Brass bowls, a kalasha-like vessel, fruit and oil lamps sit on the platform. Several young boys in white and seated devotees with folded hands are visible, and a canopy with fringed edging hangs above the shrine.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16Night photograph of a homa fire ceremony in a temple hall decorated with string lights and a painted deity backdrop. A square fire pit with glowing flames is the central focus, surrounded by flower petals, brass pots and small oil lamps. A young priest in a bare chest and orange cloth with rudraksha mala sits at the pit, holding a ladle over a brass bowl. Another priest in white dhoti with a red-striped shawl and gold necklace holds a tray of offerings. Behind them, a man in white robes and a crown-like headwear sits on a red and gold throne, with a second man in saffron clothes to the right. Several women in red and orange saris sit to the left near a red-garlanded deity figure. Other white-clad devotees stand in the background.2010-10-16A night-time homa ritual in a decorated hall. In the foreground a priest in white dhoti with a bare upper body and sacred markings pours an offering from a vessel over a white square fire pit where a dark fire burns, with brass bowls, a ghee vessel and flower petals around it. Behind the pit stands a large ornate deity murti framed by a silver arch, surrounded by people in orange and saffron robes. On the right, a figure in white is seated on a red and gold throne, with a sannyasi in orange robes and white-streaked forehead seated beside him. Strings of red lights and hanging fabric decorate the background. Smoke fills the air.2010-10-16A night-time photograph of a Chandi homa in a decorated hall. A bald priest in white dhoti and shawl with a red-and-gold border kneels at a white and black square fire pit, pouring ghee with a ladle over the offerings while flowers lie on the pit's edge. Another priest in white stands at left, raising a brass vessel toward the fire. Behind them stands a large decorated deity murti with a canopy, flanked by smaller murtis and garlanded figures; several women in red and orange saris sit nearby. At right, a man wearing a cream-and-saffron turban, white garment and long gold necklace smiles while seated on a red and gold throne-like chair. Strings of lights and a brass plate sit in the foreground.2010-10-16 +1 copies