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December 28 2017

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December 28 20172017-12-28Outdoor homa or fire ritual with a large fire burning on a stacked brick altar of yellow-orange bricks decorated with red flower petals. Plates of grains, pulses, seeds, nuts and herbs in front, with orange marigolds and purple flowers at the left, a stone mortar and pestle on the altar. Behind, a crowd of devotees sits in orange and white clothing, with a man in an orange shawl and a photographer with a camera in the middle. Smoke rises from the fire.2017-12-28November 12 20102010-11-12Night homa ritual at an outdoor fire altar with a white tiered platform. A bald man in saffron-orange robes sits cross-legged at right, extending a long ladle-like stick toward a bright flame rising from the fire pit. Several men in white dhotis and shawls sit around the altar, some bare-chested with rudraksha malas, and one wears a tilak. Behind them a woman in orange and red sits on an ornate gold-trimmed red throne, and a smoky haze fills the air. Trays of food, rice, vegetables, prawns and bowls of offerings are arranged in front, with a brass plate and kalasha-style vessels, and a crowd of devotees watches from the dark background.2010-11-05 +1 copiesA homa fire pit built from red brick, decorated with white and orange powder and marigold petals, with smoke rising from burning wood. In the foreground a shaved-headed person in the blurred left corner watches the rite. Behind the pit a priest in a yellow dhoti and cloth stirs the fire with a long metal ladle into a silver bowl. A brass kalasha and oil lamp sit nearby on a metal tray with folded white cloths, on a red-tiled floor. Visible people are only partially shown, and no one is clearly identifiable as a person.2015-07-18A large fire burns atop a tiered structure of yellow-painted bricks scattered with red flower petals, a homa or yagna fire pit. Two shirtless men in orange cloth and rudraksha malas tend the flames, one in an orange turban and one with long hair bound up. Behind them, women in orange saris and red bindis stand near the fire. Foreground tables hold steel plates of grains, pulses, seeds, dried fruits, powdered substances, marigolds and rose petals as offerings, with a stone mortar and pestle. A crowd of onlookers in white and orange is visible in the background, and a bamboo scaffold stands at left.2017-12-28Close-up photograph of a ritual offering arrangement in the foreground: heaps of mixed grains, seeds, beans and powders in grey, green, brown, white and pink tones, interspersed with red, pink and yellow flower petals. Behind them, a white stone surface is draped with purple and white flower garlands. Blurred figures in orange and cream clothing sit in the background, partly visible.2017-12-18Night homa ritual outdoors: a wooden fire pit with a rising flame and smoke sits on a low wooden platform. A priest with bare upper body and white dhoti with pink border, with white sacred markings on his arm, sits and gestures toward the fire. Another priest in white sits at left. A shirtless young man sits beside the fire pit. Behind the fire is a golden throne with red cushion where a figure in saffron/orange turban, rudraksha mala and gold necklace sits raised with hand raised, labelled as Swamiji (probable) on the throne. Long tables in front hold many offering plates with herbs, bark, leaves, red and yellow powders, flowers, rice and ghee bowls, on a striped cloth. Trishul staffs and garlanded deity shrine at upper left.2017-03-16February 15 20072007-02-15Outdoor homa ceremony on a red cloth. A white stone fire pit with a raised square base sits at centre, with marigold and flower garlands along its edge and a brass vessel beside it. A priest in saffron-orange robes sits at left on a white-draped seat, with a second white-draped seat beside him. Long rows of white-rimmed plates hold herbs, grains and dried offerings along the left side, and bundled mango leaves and fruit sit in woven baskets at right. Behind, a banner shows a painted deity figure, and devotees in white and cream clothes stand at the back. A brass lamp stand and fruit offerings sit on a table to the right.2007-11-18A large fire burns on a tiered altar of yellow bricks sprinkled with red flower petals, with logs fed into tall orange flames. In the foreground are pyramids of colored powders and spices in white, yellow and red, plus a dish of dried plant material. Behind the fire, a crowd of seated devotees watches, several women in dark and red clothing, and a man in white raises a camera on a tripod. A brass kalasha-style vessel stands among the flames.2017-12-28December 26 20082008-12-26 +1 copies