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Night outdoor fire ritual (homa/yagna) with a square yellow-powdered altar pit bordered by marigold, white jasmine and yellow flower garlands. A central man in saffron-orange robes, orange head covering, horizontal white and red forehead marks, a gold necklace and rudraksha mala stands on the altar holding a long wooden staff and speaks into a microphone. Two white-clad attendants assist: one at left holds a pale cloth with gold borders, another at right holds the microphone cable and a mala. A third attendant kneels at left beside metal bowls and fruit. Decorated cloth banners and a crowd are faintly visible in the dark background.

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Night-time homa ritual at a square yellow platform with a sunken fire pit, its rim strewn with marigold and white flower garlands and white kolam-style patterns. A man in an orange saffron robe, shaved head with white and red forehead markings, wears a large ceremonial gold necklace and a rudraksha mala. He stands holding a wooden staff and a microphone, addressing the gathering. Two young men in white dhotis and orange shawls stand beside him, one pointing, the other holding a microphone cable. In the foreground a figure in a white veil or cloth kneels at the pit, and a man in white bends over offerings at left, with brass pots and a small deity figure. a person appears as the orange-robed figure with the gold necklace, and he is present in person.2007-02-11Night outdoor ritual photograph at a fire-pit or ritual platform. A tall figure in saffron-orange robes with a sash-like cloth, a bare shaved head with white tilak markings, and a beaded necklace stands on a raised platform with a long wooden staff across his shoulder. Two young assistants in white dhotis, one in an orange sash, hold a golden cloth and staff. A man in white kurta on the right holds a microphone. Flower garlands, brass vessels, a small kalasha, and marigold petals surround a circular decorated pit. A multicoloured parasol stands at left and devotees watch from behind.2007-02-11February 11 20072007-02-11February 11 20072007-02-11Night photograph of a ritual at an outdoor altar. A shaven-headed man in full saffron-orange robes, with a white tilak and red bindi, wears a long gold-coloured necklace and stands on a white cloth, holding a small metal kalasha-style vessel in one hand and a tall wooden staff with a small saffron flag in the other. Nearby, a man in white dhoti and shirt with a rudraksha mala stands at left, and a young man in white with an orange shawl stands at right. A colourful umbrella and gold-tipped ceremonial standards appear behind. The altar in front is draped in yellow cloth with marigold garlands, flowers, fruit, a brass bowl, a small deity murti, and metal lamps and pots. Several seated devotees in white are visible in the background.2007-02-11A seated man in an orange saffron robe and orange head covering performs a fire ritual at a brick-built homa pit lined with white-plastered bricks and marigold flowers. He wears a long gold bead necklace, gold bangles and a ring, with white and red forehead markings, and holds a pinch of offering over the wood laid in the pit. Beside him a younger person in white clothes and a rudraksha mala sits with hands folded. A brass vessel, a ladle and a brass lamp stand near the pit, and a dish of wood sits behind. The visible cues include the flowing saffron robe, gold necklace and the bead-and-garland styling of the seated figure, which is consistent with a person officiating at the ritual.2007-10-21Night photograph of a fire ritual (homa or yagna) at a raised yellow-washed square fire pit decorated with white and yellow flower garlands. A standing man in an orange saffron robe and orange head wrap, with a white tilak on his forehead, holds a flaming ritual vessel or tray with a burning cloth bundle near his chest. Beside him a younger man in white clothes holds a microphone. Seated devotees in white clothes and an orange-scarfed young man with a rudraksha mala watch from the ground in front of a large crowd in the dark background. Brass pots and a metal bowl sit on the platform edge.2007-02-11February 11 20072007-02-11Night photograph of a ritual at a sandy outdoor site. A man in orange robes and an orange shawl holds a lit oil lamp while another orange-robed devotee stands beside him with hands joined in prayer. Behind them, two men in white dhotis with orange shawls hold a brass tray with offerings and a bell, and a young person in white stands at right. A small golden deity murti sits beside a shallow pool of water scattered with flower petals, with a golden kalasha-like vessel and white flowers nearby. Lighting is warm and dim against the dark background.2008-01-03A photograph of an outdoor ritual beside a young banana tree. A bald man in saffron-orange robes with a red-bordered saffron shawl, wearing gold-toned ceremonial necklaces and glasses, stands barefoot on a woven mat and holds a small silver lamp or dish while ringing a handbell. A younger man in white dhoti and shirt with a yellow shawl holds a brass tray or plate above. A man in white with a yellow shawl kneels at right, arranging small bowls of red, yellow and orange powders on a brass plate at the base of the tree. A man in white at left holds a silver vessel. Background shows a dark stone deity statue and a red wall. Gravel and small offerings lie on the ground.2009-09-26February 11 20072007-02-11February 11 20072007-02-11