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A square fire pit (homa kunda) with bright flames burns at the centre of a ritual space, surrounded by red rose petals and flower garlands in red, orange and white. A brass bowl of oil and a small silver lamp stand nearby. On the right, a shirtless priest with a white dhoti, rudraksha mala and ceremonial gold necklace sits beside a microphone and a metal vessel, with a bowl of offerings. Rows of seated devotees in white clothes and red shawls watch from the background, with a striped mat in the foreground.

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A homa fire burns in a rectangular stone fire pit decorated with white painted borders and scattered red rose petals. Orange and yellow marigold garlands and red rose garlands frame the foreground, with small brass plates of offerings and a kalasha-like pot nearby. Behind the fire, a row of seated women and girls wear white with red shawls, with a few in pink and white, sitting attentively on striped mats. At the upper right, a bare-chested man with a sacred thread and white dhoti sits near a microphone and metal vessels; his appearance does not clearly establish an identity, so he is described only by role as a priest and no a person candidate is asserted.2013-07-17July 19 20132013-07-19July 19 20132013-07-19July 04 20132013-07-04August 29 20142014-08-29July 06 20152015-07-06A fire ritual in progress: a large tiered brick altar with red, pink and green painted patterns and scattered rose petals holds a blazing fire with smoke rising. Two priests sit close to the fire; one in the centre wears a green cloth on his head and green waist cloth, and a rudraksha-style mala, pouring from a brass vessel. The second priest on the right is bare-chested with white dhoti, beaded necklace and white markings on his body. Behind them a seated crowd in white clothes with orange-red shawls and lanyards fills the hall. Brass bowls, flower garlands, fruit and an oil lamp lie on the floor to the right, indicating a homa or yagna.2016-07-04Photograph of a homa at an outdoor temple courtyard. A square fire pit with a flaming wooden fire sits on a yellow-ochre platform decorated with yellow marigold garlands and red flower petals. A bearded priest in orange dhoti and a red-and-gold shawl, wearing a red beaded mala and gold necklace, sits on the right holding a ladle and offering over a silver plate; a bare-chested assistant in white dhoti kneels beside him. In the foreground a figure with a cowrie-shell necklace holds a brass plate of offerings. Behind, a seated assembly of devotees in white, orange and red clothes sits on colourful striped mats, with a red shrine and a black stone deity murti with garland in the background. Trays of fruit, brass bowls and banana leaves rest on the right.2016-02-16 +1 copiesJuly 04 20162016-07-04A photograph of an outdoor homa fire ceremony. A large golden-rimmed fire pit burns brightly at the front, decorated with yellow and white flower garlands and pink petals. In the foreground at lower left, a priest in a white dhoti seen from behind holds his hands together. Behind the fire, a bare-chested man with a long bead necklace sits on a red-brown cloth, and at right an older bearded man in saffron wrap and red rudraksha mala raises one hand while holding a microphone, appearing to address the gathering. Brass bowls, trays and leaves sit around the fire. Behind them, a large crowd of seated devotees, many in white and saffron, sits on mats before a red pillared shrine with a black Nandi-style statue draped in flower garlands and red-trunked trees behind.2016-02-16 +1 copiesApril 10 20162016-04-10 +1 copiesJuly 04 20162016-07-04