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A night homa fire ritual in a dark courtyard beside a stone wall. A large fire blazes on a square altar covered with floral-decorated offering plates and marigold garlands. A priest in white dhoti and a yellow-and-brown headcloth, seated at left, extends his arm toward the fire. A bare-chested young assistant in white shorts leans over the altar, and another bare-chested man kneels to the right, holding a ladle or offering stick over the flames. A brass vessel sits in the foreground.

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A photograph of a homa fire ritual in a dim brick-walled room. A fire burns in a rectangular brick fire pit surrounded by flower garlands, fruit and offering plates. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a red cloth over his shoulder kneels and feeds the flames from a bowl, while another priest in white dhoti stands behind with hands joined in prayer. A man with a red turban and rudraksha-style beads sits at left holding a ladle over the fire, and a bare-chested young man with a tilak sits at right. Brass vessels and leaves lie on the floor.2016-10-16September 28 20162016-09-28September 28 20162016-09-28October 16 20162016-10-16September 28 20162016-09-28A dark, nighttime fire ritual in a stone-walled courtyard. A priest in white dhoti and a dark shawl, with a gold armlet and a wrapped head, extends a long ladle toward a blazing fire pit where offerings are burning on a square platform decorated with yellow flowers and fruit. A second man in white stands behind him. Brass lamps and a copper vessel sit nearby, and several more people in white stand in the background at right. This appears to be a homa or yagna fire offering.2016-09-28A homa fire burns in a brick fire pit at the centre of a stone-walled hall, surrounded by marigold garlands and brass vessels. A bare-chested man with a white dhoti and orange shawl, with a tilak on his forehead, sits cross-legged before the fire. Around him, priests in white dhotis and orange clothing tend the ritual, one holding a brass pot and another feeding offerings into the flames. A second fire burns in the background, and a woven basket of sticks and offering materials sits at right. Copyright overlay text appears on the image.2016-10-16Evening fire ritual in an open brick-walled courtyard. A large square homa fire pit with a bright flame sits at centre, surrounded by garlands of yellow and orange flowers, bowls of offerings, fruit and green leaves. A priest in white dhoti with a bare upper body and a red-orange headcloth sits at the left and tends the fire with a ladle. Another priest in a white dhoti and orange sash sits behind the fire pit, with a second fire and more ritual participants visible in the background. A woman with glasses and a flower garland sits at the right. Several other people in white dhotis are seated or standing in the background.2016-10-16September 28 20162016-09-28A photograph of a night homa (fire ritual) in a dimly lit temple-like open hall. A large fire burns in a rectangular brick fire pit on the right, surrounded by offerings and a brass vessel. In the foreground a shirtless man in white dhoti with a blue border sits cross-legged before a tray of yellow marigold flowers. Behind him several priests in white dhotis wear rudraksha-style beaded necklaces, with a person in saffron-orange robes standing on a raised platform at upper left. Yellow flower garlands hang on the left and a decorated kalasha stands near the fire.2016-09-28A homa fire burns in a yellow-brick fire pit decorated with yellow and red flowers and scattered petals. A bare-chested priest with an orange head wrap and a brown-and-blue striped dhoti sits at left, pouring an offering from a long brass ladle into a brass vessel. Other priests in white dhotis with gold borders stand and sit behind the fire, and brass pots of flowers sit in the foreground.2018-01-05Photograph of a fire ritual, homa or yagna, inside a stone-walled hall with rough brick and stone blocks. Several priests sit on the floor around brick-lined fire pits where flames rise, with bowls of offerings, leafy green stems, marigold-like flowers, a basket of sticks and brass vessels nearby. The priest in the centre wears an orange-saffron cloth draped over his body with a tilak on his forehead. A bare-chested priest on the right wears a yellow head cloth and white dhoti. Attendants in white and orange garments tend the fires and handle offerings in the background.2016-10-16