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Night-time homa ritual before a large goddess deity murti with multiple raised arms, a lion mount, and a ganesha figure to the left. A priest in white dhoti and shawl, bare-chested, stands at a square white fire pit (homa kunda) holding a ladle and offering into the flame. Two women in white and cream saris sit at left among trays of mangoes, coconuts, marigold and red flower petals, and a plate of sweets. String lights and tall ornate pillars decorate the open-air canopy, and a red cushioned seat is at right. No candidate for a person is visible, so the image shows only the priest and attendees.

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Night ritual scene at a homa fire pit: a square white-tiled altar with a dark central pit sits on a white cloth. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a gold necklace and a white tilak on his forehead kneels behind it, holding a ladle over the pit. Two women in white and yellow saris sit to the left beside platters of red chillies, limes, coconuts and marigolds. Behind the altar stands a large illuminated deity murti, with a multi-armed goddess holding weapons and riding a lion, a Ganesha figure, lit brass oil lamps and a decorated arch. Strings of multicolored lights hang on a building in the background.2010-10-12October 15 20102010-10-15A homa ritual in a temple hall at night. A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and a white upper cloth, wearing a gold-coloured necklace, sits with joined palms beside a square white fire pit, fire trench empty of flame. Behind him a row of deity murtis stand under a tall decorated canopy, including a goddess with many arms holding weapons and a lion mount, and a gilded and white-adorned figure garlanded in red. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha-style brass vessel and trays of fruit (apples, oranges, limes, bananas) sit on white cloth in the foreground. Four men in white and yellow dhotis and shirts stand watching at the left. Saffron-orange drapery frames the scene.2010-10-15A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and bare upper body kneels with palms joined in prayer before a black-topped white stone altar during a puja. Behind him stands a richly decorated shrine with a large image of a goddess with multiple arms and a Ganesha figure, surrounded by ornate umbrellas, white floral garlands and brass lamps. Standing to the left are a woman in a pale yellow sari and three men in white shirts and dhotis, also with hands folded. Offerings of fruit, lemons, bananas, brass bowls and a bell lie on the altar cloth in front.2010-10-15October 15 20102010-10-15A night-time homa ritual before a deity murti of a multi-armed goddess, shown with a lion mount and several attendant figures. A priest with a bare shaved head, wearing a white dhoti and a gold necklace, sits on the left beside a small fire burning in a metal pit. In front of the murti are a large white square altar, brass oil lamps, and trays of fruit, coconuts and vegetables spread across a white cloth. On the right, a seated person in an orange-trimmed red garment sits in a red cushioned chair with a gilded armrest. Ornate white floral backdrops, decorative umbrellas and a red-and-gold canopy frame the scene.2010-10-11A night-time homa ritual before a decorated goddess murti with smoke rising from a square white fire pit strewn with flower petals. A priest in white dhoti and shawl stands at left holding a bowl and a second priest in white stands behind the pit, raising a silver vessel. A bald man in white dhoti with a red border and a gold necklace sits cross-legged at right near the pit, his hands together. Women in red and orange saris sit behind, and an oil lamp burns on the floor. Background shows strings of lights and ornate silver and white decorations around the murti. No clearly identifiable a person is visible.2010-10-16Night photograph of a Chandi Homa ritual at an outdoor pandal lit by strings of coloured lights. A bald priest in white dhoti and shawl stands at left holding a tray aloft, while a seated priest in white with gold necklaces tends the rituals beside a square brick fire pit. A large decorated deity murti of the goddess with many arms holds weapons, flanked by a Ganesha figure, a lion, and a female attendant figure, with oil lamps, flower garlands, fruit and offerings arranged in front. Several other priests and attendants in white sit at the lower right and left, and a man in white with a camera stands near the centre.2010-10-16 +1 copiesA night-time homa or yagna at an outdoor shrine lit with string lights. A white-raised square fire pit stands in front of a deity murti with a crown and garlands. A priest in white dhoti and shawl with rudraksha beads sits behind the pit. A woman in a white sari and a young girl in white sit beside him, and a man in white stands in the background near the pit. Trays of fruit, red flowers, coconuts, bananas and kumkum-coloured offerings are spread across a white cloth in the foreground. Hanging decorative banners in red, orange and white frame the scene, and a kalasha and oil lamps are visible on the right.2010-10-12A 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 20102010-10-16 +2 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copies