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A photograph of a ceremonial fire ritual under a decorated tent with hanging paper lanterns. In the centre a square fire pit with offerings of fruit, flowers and a kalasha sits on a striped rug. A seated priest in a white dhoti with an orange shawl leans over the pit, while another priest in white and a yellow-bordered cloth stands nearby, and a bare-chested attendant in yellow and white holds a bowl. Behind them many seated devotees watch. To the right a man in saffron-brown robes with long hair, flower garlands and a gold necklace sits on an ornate golden throne with sunburst rays, a person, identity unsure from appearance alone. Offerings of fruit and flowers are arranged on a silver tray in the foreground.

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A photograph of a fire ritual inside a decorated tent with hanging paper lanterns and strings of colourful lights overhead. A square wooden fire pit with a blazing flame and smoke sits at centre, where a bare-chested priest in white dhoti and an orange shawl kneels and tends the fire with a ritual implement. Nearby, another priest in white and yellow-bordered dhoti stands beside a bare-chested attendant in orange. Behind them, rows of seated devotees in white clothes sit on striped mats. On the right, a figure sits on an ornate golden throne with a sunburst backrest and carved lions, dressed in a reddish-brown robe with a rudraksha mala and a garland of white and orange flowers, with a crown-like headpiece. Offerings of fruit, flowers and kalasha pots lie on a leaf-covered tray in the foreground. A man in an orange shawl holding a microphone stands at left.2016-12-12December 12 20162016-12-12A photograph of a Karthigai Deepam ritual inside a tent-covered temple hall at night. A square wooden fire pit with a dark lined centre is decorated with flower petals in the foreground, with flames and smoke rising from it. A priest in white dhoti and a saffron-coloured shawl kneels at the pit, tending a lit oil lamp. Another white-clad priest bends over ornate silver vessels, pots and fruit offerings arranged on a banana leaf. Behind them, a large golden throne with a sun-ray backrest holds a seated figure wearing a red-brown robe, a flower garland and a long mala necklace, and a dark shawl. Seated devotees in white fill the floor, and paper lanterns hang from the ceiling.2016-12-12December 12 20162016-12-12A large open tent with striped multicoloured mats hosts a fire ritual. A square homa fire pit with smoke rising sits at centre, surrounded by bare-chested and white-clad priests and devotees seated on the floor. A standing priest in orange and yellow cloth holds a microphone and speaks. Fruit, flowers, betel leaves and brass offerings lie on trays, and paper lanterns hang from the ceiling.2016-12-12December 12 20162016-12-12A photograph of a ritual at a pavilion lit by hanging decorative lamps. In the foreground, several men in white dhotis with coloured borders stand around a square fire pit of wooden frame, possibly a homa or yagna. One man in a yellow-and-orange-bordered dhoti holds a long ladle or implement over the pit, while another in white with an orange sash stands nearby. To the right sits a figure on a red cushioned seat under an ornate golden throne with sun-ray backrest; the seated person wears an orange-brown robe, a garland of white and orange flowers and a rudraksha-style necklace. Offerings of fruit, flowers, bananas, coconuts and betel leaves sit on banana-leaf trays beside the fire pit, and devotees sit on the floor in the background.2016-12-12Photograph of a homa fire ritual under a covered open-air pavilion at night. A man seated on an ornate gold throne with a red cushion, wearing a rust-orange robe and white flower garland with hands pressed together, is positioned at the left. Behind the fire pit, a standing man in an orange dhoti holds a tray of offerings. At the right, a bare-chested priest in a white dhoti pours an offering from a brass vessel into a flaming fire pit lined with yellow cloth, fruit, bananas and flower petals. Seated devotees in white fill the background, and a golden ornamental peetha and trident stand nearby. a person seated on the throne, with a distinctive visible flower garland and rust robe.2017-03-16Outdoor homa at night beside a fire pit on a yellow-painted altar, with flames and smoke rising. A man in a rust-brown robe with a flower garland sits on an ornate golden throne with red cushions, under a multicoloured fringed canopy, with a trident beside him. Behind the fire, a man in an orange dhoti and rudraksha mala holds a tray of offerings, while a bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a pink border pours from a metal plate into the fire. A seated crowd in white clothes fills the background under string lights and a red-and-gold kalasha. Offerings of bananas, oranges and bowls surround the fire. a person is the seated figure on the throne, identified by the garland, throne and presence of the homa. Several people are visible behind.2017-03-16Night-time fire ritual under an open-sided metal-roofed pavilion, with smoke rising at left and strings of small coloured lights overhead. In the centre, a priest in white dhoti with a green-and-gold border bends over a square fire pit where a flame burns among wood and offerings, with a brass bowl and flower-decorated platform beside it. Several men in white dhotis and garlands stand or sit around the area, including one bare-chested man at left wearing a mala and a shawl, and a figure at right seated on an ornate gold throne with a red cushion and a decorative canopy, wearing a reddish-brown garment and gold necklaces. Multiple tiers of orange-and-white offerings sit at the bottom edge, along with a painted mask-like figure. A homa/yagna with seated devotees and kalasha-style decorations is visible in the background.2017-05-02March 16 20172017-03-16Night-time homa in an open-sided pavilion with a tin roof and string lights. A man seated on a gold-carved throne with a red cushion, wearing a saffron-orange robe and a white-and-pink flower garland, watches the ritual. Before a yellow-draped fire altar, several priests in white dhotis and bare torsos tend a smoking fire and offerings; one wears a red-beaded necklace. Behind them, a large seated gathering dressed in white. Fruit (bananas, apples), flower petals, brass vessels and a colourful striped mat surround the altar, and a striped canopy with coloured tassels hangs at upper left. a person (saffron robe, garland, throne), seated in person.2017-03-16 +1 copies