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Outdoor Hindu ritual at a homa fire pit in front of a decorated deity murti. A priest in white dhoti and a cream head wrap, with bare upper body and bead bracelets, leans over the square fire pit, holding a silver plate near the flames while offering items from steel bowls. Behind the fire, a garlanded deity murti with a flower-covered shrine and kalasha-style vessels sits on a red-draped platform. Several devotees in saffron-orange robes with white body markings sit on mats around the fire, one with hands folded in prayer. Stepped white and red-striped walls and palm trees frame the open courtyard.

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September 09 20132013-09-09A homa fire ritual in front of a decorated Ganesha deity murti under a canopy, with a garland of marigolds and orange flowers. A priest in white dhoti and a pale yellow turban pours an offering from a steel plate into a stone fire pit with a burning flame. Around the pit, a young person in white and several devotees in saffron-orange robes sit on a striped mat, some with white and red markings on their faces and arms. A brass kalasha and offering trays rest on a red-draped platform below the deity. Red-and-white striped steps lead up to the shrine.2013-09-09An outdoor ritual at a homa fire pit in a temple courtyard. A priest in white dhoti with bare upper body, a yellow turban and sandalwood-marked arms holds a plate over the burning fire pit. Behind him, a deity murti is decorated with a large garland of red, yellow and orange flowers, flanked by marigold offerings and kalasha pots on a red-draped platform. On the left, a shaved-headed man and a young attendant in orange robes sit with folded hands. On the right, a young woman in orange sari with rudraksha mala sits near the fire. Brass vessels and ritual implements rest on the stone fire pit.2013-09-09Outdoor ritual at a deity shrine decorated with a multicolour flower garland and marigold offerings. A fire pit in the foreground holds burning embers and a metal spoon. A priest in a white dhoti and yellow head wrap raises a bundle of sticks toward the flames while a shaved-headed man in orange robes sits to the left. On the right, a woman in an orange sari with folded hands sits on a mat, and a young boy in the lower left presses his palms together. Marigold garlands and yellow flowers decorate the stepped platform in front of the deity murti. Trees and a construction site appear in the background.2013-09-09September 09 20132013-09-09September 09 20132013-09-09A homa is performed outdoors in front of a red-draped altar with a decorated deity murti partly visible under a canopy and flower offerings. A square stone fire pit with a visible flame and smoke sits in the foreground. Several priests and devotees in saffron-orange robes sit around it; a bare-chested young man wears a yellow-and-white head wrap, sandalwood markings and beaded necklaces, and a shaven-headed priest in orange holds a gold-coloured bowl. A woman in orange sits at right beside a kalasha with flowers. Steps with red-and-white striped walls rise behind them under a grey sky.2013-09-09September 09 20132013-09-09August 25 20172017-08-25September 09 20132013-09-09A square stone homa fire pit with burning logs and smoke is the main subject, with young boys and men in orange and red robes and white sacred ash markings tending the fire. A young man in white dhoti and a tall beige headwrap, with rudraksha mala beads, pours offerings from a steel bowl into the flames. Other ritual attendants in orange and red sit beside silver bowls, yellow marigold flowers and fruit offerings. Behind them a seated audience in white and colourful clothing watches the ritual under a red-roofed shelter. No identifiable a person candidate with compatible cues is clearly visible.2013-09-09A photograph of a ritual preparation at a rectangular yellow-green stone or wooden platform with a sunken pit filled with sand or ash, edged with white powder lines and scattered red petals. A seated man in an orange dhoti, orange turban and cloth draped over his shoulders, with a large beaded necklace and white markings on his arms, is pouring or sprinkling something into the pit with his hand. Flower-filled silver bowls, small dishes of coloured powder, a silver spouted vessel, a bundle of dried grass and a notebook sit on the cloth-covered floor. Behind him a figure in orange stands near a golden-draped seat on steps, a woman in an orange sari holds a microphone, and a man in white dhoti with bare chest and beaded necklace stands at left. A tall ornate golden lamp stand and fans are visible in the background.2017-08-31