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A shaved-headed priest in a white dhoti and white shawl with gold trim sits cross-legged on a floor covered with a banana leaf, rice and a cloth. He holds a bundle of dried grass or kusha over a row of small silver vessels with yellow-orange cone-shaped tops and marigold blooms. Stacked yellow turmeric blocks, a brass bowl and a few dried twigs lie in front of him. Orange silk drapes hang in the background beside a potted palm and brass vessels. The scene looks like a ritual preparation or puja set-up.

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December 28 20112011-12-28A priest in a white dhoti and white upper cloth sits on the floor beside a stacked fire pit of orange-yellow bricks decorated with yellow flowers and dry sticks. He wears a gold chain, bangles, and a white tripundra on his forehead, and reaches toward a row of silver kalasha pots topped with saffron-coloured cones, flowers, and green leaves, with a bundle of dried grass in hand. An orange cloth hangs behind, with a red-striped tent and potted plant beyond. No visible appearance cues establish the a person candidate with confidence, so this is a priest performing the ritual preparation.2011-12-28December 28 20112011-12-28December 28 20112011-12-28December 28 20112011-12-28A homa fire ritual in an open courtyard. Two men in white dhotis with yellow shawls sit on an orange cloth. The man at centre holds a small ritual bell and stirs a fire built of stacked bricks, decorated with marigolds and red flowers. The man at left sits beside many small brass dishes of offerings and herbs laid out on the cloth. Behind them, a red velvet throne-style chair with gold trim holds a framed portrait of a figure in orange robes, a rudraksha mala and a gold necklace, garlanded with red and green leaves. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha-style vessel and a brass bowl stand nearby. A striped wall and an orange cloth hanging are behind.2010-06-07December 28 20112011-12-28December 28 20112011-12-28A shaven-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl with gold-bordered cloth and a long gold bead necklace sits cross-legged before a brick-lined fire pit (homa) with small flames and wood, pouring liquid from a metal vessel onto the fire. Nearby are a brass bowl with yellow liquid and ladle, a plate of bananas, a silver pot with green leaves, and a book open on the floor. Yellow flowers decorate the bricks, and brass kalashas and a potted palm stand in the background.2011-12-28A photograph of a homa fire ritual in a courtyard. A shaved-headed man in white dhoti and shawl with gold border sits cross-legged before a fire pit built of brick with yellow flower petals on it. He wears a gold bead garland with a small pendant and gold bangles, and pours an offering from a ladle into the flames. Nearby stand a brass bowl of yellow liquid, a silver plate of offerings, and a glass vessel with a coconut and leaves. A potted palm and red pillars stand behind. The man has no visible saffron, rudraksha or crown cues, so his identity is not established.2011-12-28December 28 20112011-12-28December 28 20112011-12-28