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A seated ritual in a open-sided pavilion with wooden pillars and banana-leaf decorations. In the foreground, men in white dhotis and shirts sit on a striped green and red mat beside a brick fire pit where a flame burns over stacked bricks, with marigold offerings, a brass oil lamp and a brass vessel nearby. Behind them, a large seated gathering of women in saris of red, green, orange and blue and older men in white watches the ceremony. A digging or foundation-laying rite is being performed on the brick structure. No one in the frame is clearly identifiable as the central figure.

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October 25 20062006-10-25A homa fire burns in a square brick fire pit at the centre of a ritual gathering outdoors. Around the pit, a priest in white clothes with an orange cloth and gold bangle kneels at left, offering from a brass tray with flowers and a fruit. Seated on a striped green mat at right, a man in white shirt and dark glasses presses his palms together, and an older man in white shirt sits beside him. Behind them, rows of women in saris in orange, pink, yellow and purple sit with folded hands. Marigold petals decorate the bricks, and a brass vessel and a small brass lamp sit near the fire.2006-10-25October 25 20062006-10-25A photograph taken inside a pillared hall with dark wooden columns and banana-leaf decorations at the entrance, where a large seated crowd gathers on mats. In the foreground, many women in colourful saris, including pink, orange, yellow and teal, sit facing the front. Near the centre, several men in white dhotis and shirts sit together on the mat, and one man in an orange shawl sits among them. Standing figures in white clothes stand at the back and sides of the hall, and a small child sits among the women. The setting suggests a satsang or discourse, with bright daylight visible through the open doorway. Many people are present, so the count falls in the 100+ range.2006-10-25Night photo of a homa or fire ritual in an open-air temple courtyard. A small fire burns in a pit of stacked bricks at the lower right, with a brass pot and offerings nearby. A large crowd of women in saris sits cross-legged on mats in a circle, many in orange, blue, green and purple. A woman in a green sari stands at the left, and a priest in white kneels at the right beside the fire. Green mango-leaf torans hang overhead, and bright lights illuminate the scene. Pillars and a shrine area with lamps are visible behind.2006-10-25October 25 20062006-10-25October 25 20062006-10-25Outdoor photo of a ground-breaking ritual for a temple foundation: a square brick-lined pit with a fire pit and sacred ash at the centre, seated devotees in white, cream and saffron clothes around it, and a brass oil lamp and kalasha with flower garlands at the front. A standing figure in white with a white shawl and a crowd of women in saris stand and sit under trees near a parked white van. A figure in orange robes at the far right tends the fire; the scene appears to be a foundation-laying puja.2006-10-25Evening outdoor fire ritual under a canopy of green banana leaves and hanging bunches of green bananas. Two priests in white dhotis with orange shawls sit before a blazing fire pit ringed with stacked white blocks, one with a red-marked forehead. Seated around the fire are many devotees, mostly women in colourful saris (red, yellow, purple, maroon, blue) and men in white. Another man in a blue shirt and white dhoti stands at the back. A white banner or board hangs on a stand at left. The visible fire and offerings suggest a homa, though no a person candidate is clearly identifiable by appearance.2006-10-25A smoky outdoor ritual under a thatched canopy of banana leaves. A fire burns in a brick-lined pit at centre, with a kalasha pot wrapped in white and orange flower garlands placed on a striped cloth in the foreground, surrounded by plates of fruit, sweets and flowers. On the left, a man with white hair wears a plain white dhoti and shawl and gestures with his hand toward the fire, apparently performing a homa. Behind him, a crowd of devotees stands, mostly in white and cream dhotis and shirts, with women in saris of orange, red and yellow. A seated woman in a yellow sari with folded hands is at right, with a woman in a pink sari beside her. A profile-only figure in white stands near the centre. Only the white-haired man is distinctly visible at the front; no clear a person appearance cues such as saffron clothing, crown or rudraksha are visible.2006-10-25Night photo of a homa fire ceremony in an outdoor or open-sided space. A large bright fire burns in the centre on a stacked pile of white blocks, with a brass kalasha and oil lamp to the side. Two men in white clothes with saffron/orange shawls sit behind the fire facing it, while many seated men in white and women in saris sit in a circle around it. The women wear blue, yellow, purple, pink and maroon saris, many with flowers in their hair, and some have their hands folded in prayer. A woven mat covers the ground and a small white box sits on the right. a person not clearly identifiable from appearance.2006-10-25A photograph of a homa or yagna at a fire pit built from stacked bricks, with flames and rising smoke in the centre. Several women in saris stand and kneel around it inside a pillared hall, and a woman in a purple sari bends low to tend the fire. Brass oil lamps and small offerings sit near the pit, and a crowd of devotees fills the background. A date stamp in the lower right reads 25 10 2006.2006-10-25