Outdoor homa ceremony under a corrugated roof at night, with string lights overhead. A bare-chested priest in red dhoti stands at right, holding offerings over a yellow-draped fire pit where smoke and flames rise. Rows of devotees in white and saffron sit on striped mats around the fire. Brass vessels, fruit, flower petals, red and yellow powders and leaf-plated offerings surround the pit. - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

Outdoor homa ceremony under a corrugated roof at night, with string lights overhead. A bare-chested priest in red dhoti stands at right, holding offerings over a yellow-draped fire pit where smoke and flames rise. Rows of devotees in white and saffron sit on striped mats around the fire. Brass vessels, fruit, flower petals, red and yellow powders and leaf-plated offerings surround the pit.

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A homa fire ceremony under a corrugated metal roof at night. A bare-chested priest in a red dhoti with a red shawl over his shoulder stands at right, offering an item into a flaming square fire pit of gold-coloured stone. Seated at left on an ornate gold throne with a red cushion and a golden canopy, a man with long hair, a beard and a garland of white flowers sits with hands folded; he wears a saffron shawl, a gold chain and an ornate gold necklace. Behind them, a seated audience in white, orange and red robes faces the fire on striped rugs. Offering plates with fruit, flowers, kumkum and vibhuti sit in front of the pit, along with a kalasha and brass vessels.

April 28 2017

Outdoor covered ritual scene at night during a homa. A bare-chested priest in a maroon dhoti with a green-edged cloth and a red-and-white garland stands at right, holding a ritual vessel high over a square yellow-painted fire pit where smoke rises. Seated on a gilded throne with a striped canopy at left is a bearded man wearing a red cloth, a garland of pink and white flowers, and gold necklaces, with a red cushion behind him. Rows of white-clad devotees sit on striped mats, and fruit, flower offerings, plates of food and brass vessels surround the fire pit. A carved lion figure stands at lower left.

April 28 2017

April 28 2017

April 28 2017

April 28 2017

Photograph of a homa fire ritual under a covered open-air pavilion at night. A man seated on an ornate gold throne with a red cushion, wearing a rust-orange robe and white flower garland with hands pressed together, is positioned at the left. Behind the fire pit, a standing man in an orange dhoti holds a tray of offerings. At the right, a bare-chested priest in a white dhoti pours an offering from a brass vessel into a flaming fire pit lined with yellow cloth, fruit, bananas and flower petals. Seated devotees in white fill the background, and a golden ornamental peetha and trident stand nearby. a person seated on the throne, with a distinctive visible flower garland and rust robe.

April 28 2017

Evening homa in an open-sided pavilion with a corrugated roof and red steel beams. A seated man on a gold-and-red throne with a crown-like canopy wears a red-brown robe, a white floral garland and a rudraksha-style necklace; he is the probable Swamiji by appearance, with long swept-back hair and ornate ceremonial adornments, and his role here is presiding. Behind him sit many devotees in white and orange clothing. At right, a bare-chested priest in a red dhoti and red mala holds a plate and performs the offering beside the smoking fire pit, with a second attendant in white nearby. The fire pit is a yellow-tiled square with burning wood, and brass pots, kumkum, flower petals and fruit trays lie around it. Colourful striped mats cover the floor and a painted lion figure stands at left, with a garlanded deity murti beside it. Overall a fire ritual with offerings in the evening, with about 20 to 30 people visible.

April 28 2017

Night-time homa at an open-sided pavilion with strings of coloured lights overhead. A man seated on an ornate gold throne with a red cushion wears a red-brown garment and a beaded necklace; he has long dark hair and a central wall-mounted microphone stand before him. Several saffron-clad sannyasis sit on striped woven mats; one in orange robes tends a smoking fire pit with a long ladle. A large crowd of white-clad devotees sits in rows behind. A decorated deity murti stands garlanded beside the fire. Offerings include a decorated cake, brass lamps, bowls of fruit and wooden boxes.