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A homa fire burns in a square pit lined with yellow and pink rangoli powder. A young man with long hair twisted up on his head, bare-chested, wearing an orange-yellow dhoti and red bangles, pours offerings from a bowl toward the flames. Behind the fire, golden thrones and deity murtis stand decorated with yellow, red and white flower garlands, and a gilded canopy hangs above. A silver kalasha and oil lamps sit on the platform at the front.

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December 19 20162016-12-19A bare-chested priest with hair knotted high on his head and a horizontal white forehead mark sits beside a square fire pit, tossing offering into a flaming homa. He wears a saffron dhoti and a rudraksha-style beaded mala across his chest, with a silver bowl and ladle at his side. Behind the fire, garlanded deity murtis stand under a golden canopy with a cobra hood, adorned with yellow and multicoloured flower garlands, and a decorated silver lamp stand. Flower-strewn offerings and a kalasha rest on the platform. Red sparks rise from the fire in a dim tented setting.2016-12-19December 19 20162016-12-19A photograph of a homa at night beneath a tent. A man with a tall topknot, bare-chested, a red-orange cloth around his waist, rudraksha-style red beads and a gold necklace, kneels at a square fire pit with a large flame, pouring offering from a silver bowl. Behind him, garlanded deity murti with white flower garlands and a golden cobra-hooded canopy stand on a dais, a gold-framed shrine with a figure in white and gold, and a candle-lit altar. A standing attendant in white dhoti with gold border stands at left, and a person's hand holding a phone appears at top left. Silver lamps and a kalasha-like vessel sit at the front edge.2016-12-19December 19 20162016-12-19December 19 20162016-12-19A night-time ritual in a decorated pavilion with a tiered golden fire platform at center, from which a tall flame rises. A man with a shaved head and a tilak, wearing an orange cloth, stands at the fire pouring an offering from a bowl. To the left, a man in orange robes with a microphone sits before an ornate silver-and-gold seat. Behind the fire, a golden arched shrine holds a deity murti adorned with garlands. Strings of yellow marigold garlands hang across the ceiling, with small lamps and a banana plant nearby. Striped mats cover the floor, and a silver plate with white offerings sits in the foreground. A figure in a turban and gold necklace sits to the right beside a decorated shrine. The scene suggests a homa with a fire offering.2016-12-19A night homa in a decorated temple-style pavilion. In the foreground, a priest with long dark hair, white tilak and orange cloth holds a microphone while seated on a low dais. Beside him, a second priest with matted hair and a bare upper body pours an offering into a blazing fire pit set on a tiered golden platform. Behind them, a golden peetha displays deity murtis garlanded with yellow marigolds and red flowers, and a seated figure in a decorated frame sits to the right. Yellow marigold garlands hang from the ceiling, banana plants frame the scene, and striped mats cover the floor. Brass vessels and a tray of offerings sit at the lower left.2016-12-19A night-time homa at a fire pit in front of a decorated deity murti. A seated priest in an orange-saffron robe and a red-orange turban holds a long ladle over a bright flame, with white ash lines on his arms and chest and a rudraksha bead bracelet on one wrist. Behind him stands a tall temple structure covered in red, yellow and white flower garlands and gold ornaments, with a lotus-shaped base and brass lamps. A purple cloth covers a platform, and a silver bowl of offerings sits by the fire pit. A large gold-and-red decorated ceremonial umbrella stands at the left edge.2014-08-29A homa is performed in front of several garlanded deity murtis on decorated altars. A young priest with a shaved head, wearing white dhoti and shawl with gold borders, sits cross-legged at a brick-lined fire pit and pours offerings from a steel vessel into the flames. Brass kalashas with mango leaves and coconuts line the altars, and yellow turmeric and marigold garlands decorate the deities. Pink, turquoise and orange cloths cover the platforms, and a few other ritual items sit on the floor in front.2010-12-23A photograph of a homa fire ritual inside a decorated pandal with a striped multicolour cloth floor. A square golden fire pit with a rising flame sits in the foreground with offerings and brass vessels nearby. Three young priests with bare upper bodies, orange cloths and rudraksha necklaces sit at left, one tending the fire. Behind them a large ornate golden throne with a cobra-hood canopy and yellow marigold garlands stands empty of any clearly identifiable figure, and a deity murti draped in garlands sits on a golden seat at centre. At right a gold-framed shrine holds a murti adorned with flower garlands. Banana plants and hanging lamps decorate the hall.2016-12-19A homa fire burns in a brass-edged wooden fire pit before a golden-framed red throne where a seated figure in red and saffron-toned clothing holds a trident and wears a rudraksha mala, with a sanctum of deity murtis garlanded in marigolds behind. Several men sit on the red floor: one shirtless in white dhoti with a pink head cloth and orange-tinted shawl near brass vessels, another shirtless beside him, and a bearded man in white dhoti and shawl on the right holding a flower plate. Brass lamps, banana leaves, marigold garlands and offering plates surround the scene, with a decorative curtain overhead.2016-12-02