Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A homa fire burns on the floor of a brick hall with a banana-leaf canopy overhead. Several men in white dhotis, one bare-chested with a blue-and-gold waist cloth, tend the fire; one kneels pouring offerings from a blue bowl with a long wooden stick. Around the fire lie heaps of marigold, yellow and purple flowers. Behind them, a row of people in saffron and orange robes and rudraksha malas stand, with women in orange and red saris and a man in white on the left. The scene shows a fire ritual in progress.

More like this

Open the gallery
September 24 20122012-09-24A photograph of a homa fire ritual in a pillared hall with bamboo posts and hanging green leaves overhead. A bare-chested priest in a cream dhoti and white cloth stands over a burning fire pit, spreading his hand and garment above the flames. Another man in a blue-and-maroon dhoti bends low near the fire, while a few other men in white and saffron-toned clothing stand in the background. Scattered flower petals, marigold garlands, and banana leaves surround the fire, with a kalasha-style offering area and a plastic water bottle at left.2012-09-24September 24 20122012-09-24Outdoor-style homa ritual at a brick fire pit under a thatched open hall with a banana-leaf canopy. A man in a black shirt and white dhoti, seated at left, holds a lit oil lamp toward the blazing fire pit. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a red flower garland stands at right, facing the fire beside a woven basket of flowers and offerings. Behind them, a group of devotees in saffron and orange robes, white dhotis and sarees stands watching, including a bare-chested man with a yellow cloth over his shoulder. Smoke rises from the fire, and marigold petals and flowers lie on the ground in front.2012-09-24September 24 20122012-09-24A fire ritual, a homa, takes place in an open-sided hall with brick walls and hanging leafy decorations. A kneeling priest in cream dhoti and shawl with a red-and-gold border feeds offerings into a brick fire pit with a long wooden ladle, while a bare-chested assistant in a yellow shawl with a rudraksha mala stands beside him. Behind them, a standing man in a blue dhoti with red-and-gold trim holds his hands in anjali, and a row of devotees in saffron and orange robes and white garments stands with palms pressed together. Flowers, a brass bowl, oil lamps and a plate of fruit surround the pit, and a person in a green shirt photographs the ritual with a phone.2012-09-24A homa fire burns on the floor of a open hall with unfinished concrete pillars and a banana-leaf and bunch-of-bananas canopy overhead. In the foreground, a priest in white dhoti and shawl, with a red rudraksha-style mala, holds a long ladle or spoon raised over the flames. Beside him a second priest in a yellow shawl and white dhoti holds a small red offering vessel, and a woman in a dark sari with floral print bows her head near the altar. Flower heaps of marigolds, pink lotuses and green leaves surround the fire. Behind, a standing group of devotees in orange and saffron robes and white clothing watches, including a man with a rudraksha-style necklace and a few women in red and orange saris. A figure in white dhoti stands at the left edge.2012-09-24A photograph of a homa fire ritual in a pillared hall. A bare-chested priest with a red rudraksha-style bead necklace and white dhoti bends over a brick fire pit, holding a large plate of flaming camphor or ghee lamp toward the blaze, with flower offerings and a brass pot nearby. Smoke rises from the pit. Behind him a man in a white shirt and blue-and-white dhoti stands with palms pressed together, and another man in a yellow shawl and white dhoti holds a small bell. A crowd of devotees in white, saffron and orange clothes stands in the background, hands folded. Banana leaves hang at the left edge.2012-09-24September 24 20122012-09-24September 24 20122012-09-24A homa fire burns in an open pillared hall with a banana-leaf canopy overhead. In the foreground a bare-chested man in white dhoti and shawl, with a red rudraksha-style cord at his neck and a red waist cloth, raises a wooden ladle over the flames while holding a brass bowl. Behind him a group of devotees in white and saffron-orange robes stand with hands folded, watching the ritual. Pineapples and offering items sit at the left edge near the fire pit.2012-09-24A homa fire ritual in a open-sided hall with brick pillars and a thatched or leafy ceiling. A fire burns in a rectangular stone fire pit with ash, and a red kalasha-like pot decorated with flowers sits in the flames. A priest in white dhoti with red-and-gold border and a red beaded necklace stands at right holding a brass ladle and a bowl of offering. Beside him, a bare-chested man in a dark shirt and white dhoti holds a brass dish. Behind them, a group of people in saffron and orange robes and rudraksha malas stand with hands folded in prayer, and a few in white stand at left. Flower garlands and a tray of offerings lie at lower left.2012-09-24