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Nithyanandapedia
A photograph of a fire ritual in a hall filled with seated children and adults. In the left foreground a figure with long dark hair wears an orange saffron robe and sits with palms pressed together, speaking into a microphone; the appearance is consistent with the a person, with long swept hair and saffron clothing as cues. Before him a brick-lined fire pit burns with flames, beside a brass vessel, a coconut half, a small oil lamp and white flower petals and strands of grass. Around them boys in white shirts and dhotis sit with hands folded in prayer, while a few adults in white kurtas and a woman in pale clothing sit among smoke-filled space behind them. The scene looks like a homa or yagna during the start of education.

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A photograph of a homa fire ritual at an indoor gathering. In the left foreground, a person with long swept-back dark hair and a tilala-style mark on the forehead wears an orange saffron robe and sits with palms pressed together in prayer, appearing to chant. Probable Swamiji by the qualifying cues of long hair, saffron clothing and the presiding role at the fire. Before them, a brick-lined fire pit burns with flames, with brass vessels, a small oil lamp, a ladle and flower offerings arranged beside it. Around the fire, young boys in white kurtas and white dhotis sit with hands folded, and behind them a large crowd of devotees, mostly in white, fills the room with smoke drifting through. Partially visible figures at the right edge include an older man in white.2006-10-02A photograph of a crowded seated ritual gathering in a smoky, dim space. In the foreground a child in white kurta with palms pressed together in namaskar sits in front of a small oil lamp with white flowers beside it. To the left, a person in an orange garment holds a microphone and gestures with raised hands while speaking. Behind them, many adults and children in white clothes sit closely together, some with rudraksha malas around their necks, and a woman in a red and white sari sits among them. Smoke or haze fills the air. Two faces are only partially visible at the left edge.2006-10-02A smoky indoor ritual scene. In the foreground at left, a person with long, dark, swept-back hair and white markings on the forehead, wearing an orange top, holds palms together and speaks into a microphone. Beside them, a child in a blue and white outfit is seated with eyes closed. To the right, two young children in white clothes sit with palms pressed together in prayer. Behind them, a large crowd of seated devotees, many in white with rudraksha-style beaded necklaces, fills the room, and an orange-clad figure stands at the left edge. Haze hangs over the gathering.2006-10-02A photograph of a homa at an outdoor ceremony. A figure with long dark hair and an orange saffron robe sits at the left, pouring from a brass vessel and ladle into a square fire pit built of red bricks, where a small fire burns. Around the pit, people in white clothes sit on mats, several wearing beaded necklaces. Behind them a large crowd of mostly white-clad devotees, some in dhotis and saris, watches from a platform. A brass kalasha and metal offering vessels sit on a mat in the foreground, and a microphone stand stands near the fire.2005-07-21A photograph of a fire ritual inside a whitewashed room. A figure in an orange robe sits behind a brick-lined fire pit holding a lit ceremonial lamp, with smoke rising. Around the pit, children in white clothes sit cross-legged, and some wear orange sashes. Adults in white and orange stand in the doorway behind them, and a man in white kneels at the left beside a silver tray with offerings. Framed photographs hang on the walls, and a camera is visible at the lower right. Most of the room is filled with observers, and the scene reads as a homa with students present.2006-10-02A homa fire ritual at the Nithyananda Gurukul inauguration. A brick fire pit with a burning flame sits at center, with white flower petals and leaves laid around its rim. A seated figure in orange robes with long hair holds a microphone in front of the fire, a Swamiji (probable) by appearance cues of long hair and saffron clothing, presiding over the ritual. Around them, young boys in white and white-shirted children sit close to the fire, one holding a stick. Men in white dhotis wear orange shawls, some seated at left tending brass offering plates, lamps and fruit. A banner behind reads Nithyananda Gurukul in English and Tamil script, with a portrait of a smiling figure in a turban. Several adults stand near the back.2006-10-02A photograph of a fire ritual in a hall, with a brick-built homa fire pit in the foreground and a flame burning inside it. Behind the pit, a man with long dark hair wears a saffron-orange robe, appears to be seated and speaking into a microphone, and is. Around him, boys in white kurta-style clothes and saffron shawls sit on a blue mat, and one boy in white kneels at the pit's edge placing an offering. A banner reading Nithyananda Gurukul is held up behind them. Flowers, a brass vessel and a plate of offerings sit at the left. Several more attendees in white and orange stand along the back wall.2006-10-02A photograph of a homa ritual in an indoor hall with plain grey walls and small windows. In the foreground, a bald man in orange robes with a red-and-gold shawl and a gold garland kneels with palms pressed together, facing a white stepped fire altar. On the altar sit a brass bowl, a silver cup, a golden ladle and scattered orange marigold petals. Behind him, rows of seated women and girls in white clothes, some with red-and-white bindi and vibhuti markings, hold their hands in anjali. A standing figure in orange robes stands near the back wall, and white-clad devotees fill the room.2007-08-26A photograph of a homa being performed in a large, bare hall with white walls, barred windows and a corrugated metal roof. In the foreground a white stone fire pit with orange flower offerings sits in front of a wooden tray holding brass vessels, a covered dish and small lamps. A seated man in an orange robe with a shaved head and a saffron shawl sits behind the pit, and a younger person in white with an orange sash sits with hands folded in prayer beside him. Rows of seated people in white clothes and orange shawls, mostly children and young adults, fill the floor, and a few standing figures in white and orange stand near the back wall beside a wooden cart.2007-08-26A homa fire ceremony in a plain concrete hall with barred windows. In the foreground a shaved-headed priest in orange robes with a gold necklace sits at the right, holding a metal vessel and pouring near a white tiered fire platform strewn with orange marigold petals, a brass dish and a silver cup. Behind the platform, rows of seated devotees in white clothes and a woman in orange shawl with hands pressed in prayer watch the ritual. A standing figure in orange robes stands at the back of the hall.2007-08-26A homa is performed in a plain whitewashed hall on a white brick fire pit with a small flame and marigold petals scattered on the bricks. A man in saffron-orange robes with a red-bordered shawl sits at the front right, holding a brass bowl and a silver vessel, with a bead mala and gold necklace; his appearance matches the page's a person reference only loosely, so he is described as a priest and the identity is marked unsure. Around the pit, a row of about twenty-five people in white clothes sit cross-legged, most with hands folded, including a woman in an orange shawl at centre. A standing figure in orange appears near the back wall, and a brass horn and a small bell lie on the floor by the fire pit.2007-08-26December 25 20072007-12-25