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Outdoor ritual yagna under a corrugated shelter with palm trees and red and pink draped cloth behind. A square fire pit with a sacred fire sits on a mat at the centre, flanked by a silver kalasha and small brass lamps. Numerous men in white dhotis and shirts stand with palms joined in prayer among rows of white stone platforms holding offerings. On the right, a figure in orange robes with a white flower garland stands at the pit, and several people in saffron-orange robes stand beside an ornate peetha-style seat with a decorative backrest. Festive flags and small canopies line the background. The scene appears to be a homa or puja during a brahmotsavam-type celebration.

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December 25 20062006-12-25Outdoor ritual yagna under a palm-frond and tarpaulin canopy with palm trees around. A man stands at the right, bare-backed with a saffron-orange cloth draped over his shoulders and a white flower garland, facing a sunken square fire pit lined with mud and grass. Rows of white-painted brick altars or kund-like structures fill the earthen ground, with small offerings on them, and woven mats are laid out. Flags and red-and-pink canopy tents frame the scene. Behind, a large crowd of devotees stands in a semicircle, many in white dhotis and kurtas, some in saffron, with women in saris and salwars at left. Orange-and-red banners are staked in the ground.2006-12-26A photograph of an open-sided pavilion under a corrugated roof, lined with palm trees, where a large homa or yagna is being performed. Rows of white square fire pits or altars stand on bare earth, with a striped mat laid in front of one. At left, a deity murti or decorated figure sits on a white-draped platform beneath garlands, with a gold cloth draped over a table. Pink and red draped fabric frames the pavilion walls, and orange flags line the back. A standing figure in an orange robe at right holds a ritual implement, while a figure in white stands nearby. A crowd of people in white, orange and pink clothing stands in a long line behind a rope, watching the rite.2006-12-26Outdoor homa ceremony at an open-air ritual site under a metal frame with strings of purple and white bunting. A bare-chested man in an orange cloth stands centrally, wearing a white garland, facing a square fire pit bordered with marigold and flower garlands, with fruit, brass pots and bowls of flowers on a mat in front. Around him, men in white dress and orange shawls stand with hands folded, and women in white saris with orange and red borders stand behind a low brick fire-altar row. Pink and orange draped fabric and large ornate umbrellas frame the scene, with a palm tree at left.2006-12-29Outdoor ritual yagna under a open-sided tent with palm trees overhead. Rows of white-washed brick fire pits, each with a small fire or offering, are arranged on bare ground, with woven straw mats laid on some platforms. On the left, figures seated on white cloth before a pink and red draped canopy are garlanded with marigold, with a kalasha-style offering in front. Along the right, a line of devotees in white and saffron stands around the ritual area, and a person in orange robes stands at the far right near a larger square fire pit. Orange and red pennants hang from the tent poles, and corn cobs and coconuts sit as offerings in the foreground.2006-12-26December 25 20062006-12-25A photograph of an outdoor homa or yagna under a corrugated tin shelter with palm trees. Several white-brick fire pits are arranged on the ground, with copper or brass plates of offerings and small red-orange cloths beside them. A line of standing devotees in white dhotis and saris watches from the left, behind a rope barrier with saffron flags. A man in a saffron wrap with a white flower garland stands with his back to the camera at center right, facing a group of men in white dhotis and saffron shawls who hold items and attend the ceremony. Red and pink draped cloth forms a tent backdrop at the right.2006-12-26A large outdoor homa (fire ritual) under a corrugated roof held up by metal poles and palm trees, with smoke drifting through the crowd. A central square fire pit is raised on white brick platforms, with a brass vessel and a garlanded altar. Many people in white clothing sit on the ground in rows around the fire, and a few wear orange. On the right, a man in an orange garment and red shawl sits beside the pit, with brass kalashas and offerings in baskets. On the left, a woman in an orange sari with a flower garland sits on a cushioned seat. Pink and orange draped cloth and strings of orange flags decorate the background.2006-12-29A photograph of a covered open-air ritual hall with a corrugated metal roof and steel trusses. Many people stand in rows, mostly men in white dhotis and white shirts, some wearing orange or saffron shawls over white clothing, with a few women in white sarees with gold borders. Several people with folded hands face a ceremonial space where a figure in orange robes stands at right beside a stone-and-metal area with a kalasha-type vessel, marigold and jasmine garlands, and brass bowls. Square white-painted brick enclosures on the floor hold small brass dishes of offerings, fruit, flowers and leaves on woven mats. Hanging floral strings decorate the ceiling beams, and palm trees show outside. The scene looks like a puja or ritual gathering.2006-12-26A covered open-sided pavilion with a corrugated metal roof holds a ritual gathering. Rows of devotees stand with palms pressed together in namaskar, many dressed in white dhotis and shirts, while several women wear white saris with gold borders and others wear orange shawls or saffron garments. Low square brick fire pits or platforms with brass vessels, plates of offerings and marigold and jasmine garlands sit on the mat-covered floor. A decorated kalasha-style vessel and strings of yellow flowers hang along the back, with palm trees visible beyond the open side. No single figure is identifiable as a presiding teacher in this frame.2006-12-26Outdoor temple ritual under a open-sided canopy with red and white draped cloth and a metal frame overhead. In the foreground, a woman in an orange sari with a white-and-orange garland stands beside a large black stone shivalinga set on a low platform decorated with fruit, flowers and a brass kalasha. A man in white dhoti and an orange shawl stands nearby, and another person in orange robes walks behind the platform. A crowd of devotees stands behind a rope barrier under trees, with a stone pillared structure in the background. Oil lamps, plates of fruit and a leafed pot of flowers rest on the mat in front of the lingam.2006-12-25Outdoor ritual gathering under a open-sided shed roof with palm trees and strings of small triangular orange and pink pennant flags overhead. In the foreground, a person with long dark hair and a flower garland sits cross-legged on a raised seat in an orange cloth, with a microphone stand in front. Behind a low rectangular platform of concrete blocks, a sacred fire pit smokes, with brass vessels, a kalasha-style pot and a mound of marigold and flower offerings. Many people in white clothes sit in rows on the ground, while others in orange garments sit near the platform. A pink and orange draped backdrop hangs behind the seating area, and baskets of fruit sit at the right edge. Hazy sunlight fills the scene.2006-12-29