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Night-time outdoor ritual scene. In the foreground, a large fire burns inside a square pit of yellow-ochre bricks, with a silver bowl of grains and offerings beside it. Behind it, a man in orange and saffron robes, with a turban and white horizontal forehead markings, sits with hands joined in prayer, wearing beaded necklaces. Beside him sits a younger attendant in orange with a turban, rudraksha-style beads and white body markings. A standing attendant in orange with a turban stands in the back. On the left, a decorated ornate silver throne holds a murti garlanded with red and yellow flowers and a purple cloth. Brass lamps, fruit, bananas, a kalasha and small bowls are arranged on a multicoloured striped cloth.

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June 04 20182018-06-04 +1 copiesNight-time fire ritual (homa) on a patterned mat outdoors. Two men in orange and saffron clothing sit before a yellow brick fire pit with a bright flame. The man on the right wears an orange turban, rudraksha malas, white body markings and orange cloth, and pours an offering from a ladle into a bowl. The man in the centre, in an orange turban and white-striped body paint, sits with hands together. To the left a decorated deity murti or kalasha-like figure is garlanded with yellow and red flowers and banana leaves, with fruit, bananas and brass vessels arranged around. Brass lamps, a metal tray with rice and kumkum bowls complete the offering setup. Dim figures sit in the background.2018-06-04Night-time outdoor homa on a striped cloth in an open courtyard. Two sannyasis sit before a fire pit built of stacked yellow-coated bricks. The seated man at right, bare-chested with white ash markings, rust-red dhoti, orange turban and a rudraksha mala, pours liquid from a long ladle into the flames. Beside him sits a second sannyasi in an orange turban and orange cloth with a white-striped body. Behind them stands a silver ornate peetha draped with a deity murti or sacred item, garlanded with red, yellow and orange flowers and leaves. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha pot, steel plates of fruit, bananas, flowers and rice, and small cups surround the offerings. Petals are scattered on the cloth, and a few other people stand in the background.2018-06-04June 04 20182018-06-04June 04 20182018-06-04Night-time homa at an outdoor ritual site. A young priest in orange and red robes, with an orange turban, white body markings and rudraksha beads, pours an offering with a long ladle over a blazing fire built into a tiered stack of yellow turmeric-coated bricks. A second priest in orange sits beside a silver throne-like seat decorated with a garland of yellow and red flowers, a kalasha and a mango and banana offering. Brass lamps, a kettle, silver bowls of grains and fruit, and a plate with a sprinkling of pink flower petals lie on a striped cloth in the foreground. Several other seated participants appear at the left edge.2018-06-04Four people in saffron-orange robes sit around a yellow-bordered square homa fire pit at night on a paved ground. A flame burns in the pit. The seated man at right wears an orange turban, rudraksha malas and bangles, and pours from a small vessel, while beside him a younger boy in orange tends a brass bowl of offerings. Another man in orange sits near the fire, and a figure at left with curly hair and a rudraksha mala sits on a low seat. Brass oil lamps, a banana and a plate of offerings sit on a striped cloth in front, with a flower-strewn tray in the foreground.2017-10-01Evening courtyard homa at a fire pit built from yellow-brown blocks, with a bright flame rising from the centre. A man in saffron-orange cloth with a matching turban kneels at the left, tending the fire, while a second priest in orange with bare upper body and white markings stands behind holding a ladle-like implement. Seated on a gold, ornate throne with a red cushion and red floor covering is a bearded man in saffron robes with a white-marked forehead and long hair, who appears to be the central figure receiving honour. Brass pots, a kalasha-like vessel, bananas and coconuts, pink flower garlands and green leaves surround the fire, and a few onlookers stand in the dim background.2018-05-29Night-time homa at an open-air outdoor ritual space under a white canopy with string lights. A seated figure in saffron-orange robes and an orange head wrap sits on an ornate silver-and-jewelled throne with a tiger-striped cushion, raising one hand in blessing; a sign-like gesture is visible. In front, a square yellow-edged fire pit burns with bright flames. Three saffron-clad men with shaved heads and white markings on their bodies sit on striped cloth, one pouring from a brass vessel into the fire, another with a bundle of sticks, and a garland of flowers rests on a silver stand. Other saffron-robed attendants stand in the background beside a small red-and-white umbrella, and a golden chair sits at left.2017-10-01Night outdoor fire ritual under a tent canopy with bright spotlights. In the foreground, a yellow-framed square fire pit burns, and two priests in orange cloth and orange head wraps sit on striped mats; one holds a ladle over a bowl and the other sits beside him with white marks on the body. Behind the fire, a figure in a red turban and red-orange robes sits on an ornate silver throne with tiger-striped cushions, raising a hand in greeting; a golden chair stands beside it. A floral garland and a silver-framed offering tray lie near the fire. Two more robed attendants in orange stand in the background, and a small framed photo sits on a platform at lower left.2017-10-01Night ritual in an open courtyard with a fire pit (homa) burning on a yellow brick base, set on a striped cloth. Beside it a silver ornate stand holds a decorated Shiva linga or kalasha wrapped in pink and yellow flower garlands. A priest in a reddish-brown dhoti with a shawl over his bare upper body bends toward the fire, with gold bangles on his arm. Two young attendants in saffron-orange turbans and robes stand by, one wearing a white-and-gold beaded necklace and holding a small object. Other figures in orange and white are seen in the background, a pillar and lamps are visible, and a gilded throne-like seat with red flower petals appears at right. The priest shows no clear distinctive a person cues, so the identity is uncertain.2018-05-29A night homa in an open-sided tent with striped mats on the floor. A fire burns in a yellow square fire pit at centre, with three priests in saffron-orange dhotis and orange head-cloths tending it; one stands with hands at the fire, one centre, one at right. A priest in orange bends low at the front left, his back to the camera, before the fire pit. Seated rows of men in white-and-orange clothing, some bare-chested, sit along the left. Brass oil lamps, a plate of pink flowers, fruit, banana and a garland of white and red flowers rest on the mats. A gold throne with a seated figure in orange sits at right, and a golden arch and deity murti stand behind the fire pit. Pennants and a striped cloth canopy hang overhead.2017-09-17