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Outdoor fire ritual at an ashram with palm trees and orange-roofed buildings behind. A bald man in saffron-orange robes and a long beaded rudraksha-style mala sits at a white stone fire pit, holding a bell and ringing it with an open flame rising behind him. Beside him a younger man in white ritual clothes sits with bare upper body and a folded cloth. Brass vessels, a kalasha-style pot, and offerings of green leaves lie on the white platform. Dozens of devotees in white clothes with red lanyards sit on the ground in rows, watching the homa, and a man in white stands at the right edge in the foreground.

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Outdoor homa at an ashram courtyard with palm trees and orange-roofed buildings behind. A shaved-headed priest in saffron-orange robe and a long beaded necklace sits at a white raised fire pit, holding a small lamp and a metal vessel while a flame rises from a lamp in the front. A younger attendant in white stands beside him with a lamp. Brass vessels, a silver plate and green leaves lie on the platform. Around 30 people in white clothes sit on the ground and in rows behind, some with lanyards, watching the ritual.2010-12-16December 16 20102010-12-16Outdoors under palm trees, a man in saffron-orange robes and a long beaded necklace performs an aarti-style ritual, holding a lit oil lamp in one hand and a small handbell in the other above a raised white fire pit. Around him, a large crowd in white clothes and red-and-white neck lanyards sits and stands on the ground, with a few children in front. Brass plates and offering dishes sit on the white platform, and red brick buildings stand in the background.2010-12-16Outdoor homa ritual at an ashram with orange-painted buildings and palm trees behind. A shaved-headed priest in saffron-orange robes and a beaded rudraksha necklace sits at a white fire pit, hands joined in prayer. A younger assistant in white sits beside him, and bundled sticks and a brass vessel lie near the pit. Offerings with orange cloth, marigold-like flowers and brass plates are arranged on a striped cloth to the right. Behind, rows of seated devotees in white clothes and lanyards watch the ritual, with a few people in white standing at the back.2010-12-16Outdoor homa at an ashram courtyard: a man seated behind a white square fire pit with a dark central opening, holding a brass spoon and a small bowl, wearing a saffron-orange dhoti and shawl, a long rudraksha-style mala and a gold necklace, with a tilak on his forehead and a shaved head. A younger assistant in white kneels beside him at the pit, which holds bundled dry sticks and brass vessels. Behind them, rows of devotees in white clothes sit on the ground, and a red-orange building and palm trees stand in the background. On the right, a table draped with a striped cloth holds brass pots, a kalasha-like vessel, leaves and marigold garlands.2010-12-16Outdoor homa ceremony in an ashram courtyard under palm trees, with a white square fire pit in the foreground holding a dark fire and sticks. A man in orange robes with rudraksha malas and a gold necklace sits behind the pit with hands raised in a mudra; a younger man in white dhoti and shawl sits beside him. Around them, rows of devotees in white clothes with white lanyards sit on the ground and on chairs, some with hands folded. Orange-painted ashram buildings, a red ring-shaped pole and brass vessels with flowers and oil lamps complete the scene. a person (orange robes, rudraksha mala and gold necklace) presiding over the homa.2010-12-16A homa fire ritual in an open courtyard with a white square fire pit in the foreground. A shaved-headed priest in saffron-orange robes and a gold-beaded necklace sits behind the pit, tending it with a sprig of wood, while an assistant in white kneels beside him holding a brass plate of offerings. Behind them a large seated audience of devotees in white clothes, many wearing white garments with lanyards, faces the ritual. A table draped in orange and striped cloth holds brass vessels, a kettle, and orange marigold garlands. Orange-painted buildings and palm trees form the background.2010-12-16Outdoor fire ritual (homa) at an ashram courtyard under palm trees. A bald man in orange saffron robes and an orange-beaded mala with a large pendant sits behind a white square fire pit, hands raised in mudra with palms open. A younger man in white ritual clothes sits beside him. Behind them, a rows of seated devotees in white clothes and red-and-white lanyards listen. Brass bowls, a kettle, dried sticks, flower offerings and a kalasha-like vessel rest on an orange cloth with purple borders. Orange-brown buildings and a red circular ring frame the scene. Whether the saffron-robed man is a person is uncertain: the cues are saffron clothing and a mala, but the face and presentation do not allow firm confirmation.2010-12-16Outdoors under palm trees, a shaven-headed priest in saffron-orange robes and a rudraksha mala sits cross-legged at a white square fire pit, performing a homa with burning sticks and ritual offerings. Beside him stands a brass vessel and a kalasha-like pot decorated with orange marigolds, and a brass lamp sits on a saffron-coloured cloth. Behind the fire, a large crowd of seated devotees in white clothes and red-and-white lanyards with neck cords watches, some with hands folded in namaskar. Low orange-walled buildings and a yellow-painted structure stand in the background. A statue row and a red circular pole are visible.2010-12-16Outdoor homa at an ashram courtyard with palm trees and terracotta-coloured buildings behind. A bald priest in saffron-orange robes, a rudraksha mala and a gold pendant sits at the fire pit with raised, cupped hands and an offering vessel nearby. A younger attendant in white sits beside him at the fire pit, which holds burning sticks and offerings. Dozens of devotees in white clothes sit on the ground in rows behind, and a brass kalasha, fruit and a blue cloth lie on the orange-draped altar at right. Deity murti statues line the left side. The priest's appearance does not clearly establish an identity, so the role is described only as priest.2010-12-16Outdoor homa or fire ritual at an ashram courtyard with palm trees and orange-walled buildings behind. A central figure in saffron-orange robes and a long beaded necklace holds a lit oil lamp aloft over a white stone fire pit, while another man in white sits beside him. Brass vessels and a kalasha-style pot sit on the platform, and orange-and-green offerings lie to the right. Around the pit, dozens of men and boys in white dhotis and kurtas sit in rows, many with lanyards, with a few Western-looking men among them, watching the ceremony.2010-12-16Outdoor homa ceremony at an ashram courtyard with palm trees and red-roofed buildings behind. A bald man in saffron-orange robes and a red-beaded necklace sits cross-legged before a white square fire pit, palms pressed together in prayer. Around him, a large seated crowd of men and boys wears white clothing with white-and-red garlands; the adults in white shirts and dhotis sit in rows. A brass vessel and a kalasha with orange kumkum and green leaves rest on an orange-and-purple cloth at right. A red-clad figure is partly visible in the foreground, and a purple flag hangs at upper left.2010-12-16