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A photograph of a large square fire pit, a homa or yagna, filled with smoke and a visible flame at its base, with a white-and-blue edged border decorated with yellow flowers. Around it stand a crowd of devotees in ritual dress: a man in a yellow dhoti and striped headcloth at left, bare-chested men in pink and striped dhotis with rudraksha necklaces, several men in saffron-orange robes, and an elderly bearded man in white with a rudraksha mala. At right, a man in a yellow-and-red headcloth and yellow flower garland pours offerings with a ladle, while a man in saffron robes holds a silver plate. A tent canopy is overhead and other people raise their hands behind the group.

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January 13 20152015-01-13A photograph of a homa or yagna at a fire pit lined with white ash and marigold garlands. A bare-chested bearded priest with a grey beard, rudraksha mala and gold pendant stands at the pit, holding a brass plate of offerings. Nearby, men in saffron and orange robes and turbans pour grains and offerings into the fire from brass vessels, while others raise their hands in prayer. A man in a yellow shawl and a red-turbaned figure stand among the assembly under a white tent. Smoke and sparks rise from the pit, and a golden ceremonial ladle is held aloft at the right edge.2015-01-13A photograph of a homa fire pit, a square trench lined with white powder and marigold garlands, with smoke and flames rising from it under a tent. Men stand around the pit with palms pressed together in namaskar. Several wear saffron-orange cloth and one has a bright orange turban; others wear pink, yellow and maroon dhotis, and some are bare-chested with rudraksha-style beads. Brass oil lamps sit at the right edge and a yellow wooden plank lies across the pit. The scene reads as a fire ritual during a satsang gathering.2015-01-13A photograph of a large square fire pit with a smoking, glowing homa in the foreground, surrounded by a crowd of devotees and priests at a ritual. Several men in orange and saffron robes stand around the fire, some holding metal trays and plates of offerings, and one holds a gold ceremonial ladle. Men in pink and yellow dhotis and yellow-and-orange turbans stand bare-chested with hands raised or folded in prayer. A bearded elder in orange with rudraksha malas raises his hands. Marigold garlands line the edge of the pit. The tent setting is bright and hazy with smoke.2015-01-13A smoky homa fire pit, a square brown-walled altar edged with blue and white and strewn with yellow marigold petals, dominates the foreground with a small flame visible at its base. A brass ladle is held at right by a man in a yellow-and-orange headwrap and yellow marigold garland. Around the pit, about a dozen men stand in ritual dress: several bare-chested men in pink and yellow dhotis wear gold-toned necklaces, a man in saffron-orange robes holds a brass plate, and an elder with long white hair and a rudraksha mala raises a hand in blessing. Other men in orange robes and a man in a yellow cloth stand nearby under a white canopy, with thick smoke rising through the scene.2015-01-13January 13 20152015-01-13A photograph of a homa fire ritual at an outdoor pavilion with smoky haze. A central figure with a long white beard, bare-chested, wears a white dhoti and rudraksha mala, with a tilak and forehead markings, and reaches toward a rectangular fire pit lined with white and blue painted borders and marigold petals. Around him stand men in saffron and orange robes and turbans, and seated priests in pink cloth and orange-red turbans sit near the pit with brass lamps. Standing figures in maroon, orange and pink clothing watch the rite, and a brass plate with offerings is held nearby.2015-01-13January 13 20152015-01-13January 13 20152015-01-13January 13 20152015-01-13A photograph of a fire ritual at a large rectangular homa pit lined with white and blue-painted edges, with smoke rising and marigold flowers placed around the rim. A bearded man with white-smeared forehead and a bare chest, wearing a white dhoti and a rudraksha mala, extends his hand over the pit. Behind him, several men in saffron and orange robes stand, one holding a brass plate of offerings. Men in pink dhotis and orange turbans sit on the ground near the pit, and others in red and orange garments stand in the hazy background. No clear a person appearance cue is confirmed, so the figures are described by role only.2015-01-13Outdoor fire ritual under a white canopy in misty daylight. A large rectangular fire pit lined with white powder, marigold petals and blue-and-red painted borders dominates the lower right, flames visible at its edge. A bearded priest with a white beard, bare chest, orange-and-yellow shawl, rudraksha mala and tilaka reaches toward the fire. Standing beside him, a man in an orange robe holds a brass tray; a man in an orange-and-green dhoti with an orange-and-yellow garland and rosette holds an offering. Seated devotees in orange turbans and pink dhotis watch, with lit brass oil lamps on the ground. Several other people in orange robes and saffron turbans stand behind, forming a homa or yagna with offerings.2015-01-13