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A photograph of an outdoor ritual under a corrugated metal roof. A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and unstitched upper cloth, wearing a red and pink turban, sits cross-legged at a fire pit and pours offerings into a visible flame, with brass vessels and a lamp before him. Six young women sit in a row in front, wearing floral garlands and saris in maroon, orange and teal, their hair in long braids, watching the fire. Behind them stands a deity murti decorated with yellow and white flower garlands, and a temple-style shrine with a yellow cloth hangs nearby. Coconut palms and red-striped walls surround the courtyard, and a few seated people are visible in the background. The scene suggests a homa with offerings to the fire.

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October 03 20142014-10-03Outdoor ritual under a corrugated roof with yellow marigold garlands and palm trees behind. A young man in white dhoti and a pink-red turban sits cross-legged on a purple cloth, with rudraksha beads and a red-brown armband, ringing a silver bell beside brass and silver vessels. In front of him a fire burns in a raised square fire pit, marking a homa or yagna. Several young women in pink and orange saris with white flower garlands sit to the left with palms pressed together. Standing figures and a cameraperson with a tripod appear in the background, and a deity murti is decorated with garlands behind the canopy. Scattered marigold petals cover the floor.2014-10-03October 03 20142014-10-03A photograph of a homa fire ceremony in an outdoor courtyard. A large square wooden fire pit with a bright orange flame stands in the foreground. Six girls in traditional South Indian dress sit in a row behind it, wearing jasmine and marigold garlands; their saris and blouses are red, green, orange and peach. A man in white ritual clothes with a red turban sits cross-legged at the left, hands folded before him. Brass oil lamps, a trident-shaped brass object and yellow flower offerings sit on the mat and beside the fire pit. Green plants and a red wall form the background, with a carved lion figure at the right edge.2014-10-03A photograph of a homa at an outdoor temple area. A priest in white dhoti and a red-and-white head cloth bends forward over a wooden-framed fire pit, where a tall flame rises from burning offerings. Five young girls sit on the floor behind the fire, wearing white jasmine garlands and red, green and orange silk dresses, several holding small yellow cloth bags. Brass oil lamps and small bowls stand on the ground, and an ornately carved temple structure with painted lion and elephant figures and flower garlands is visible on the right. Foliage and a red boundary wall sit behind. No identifiable a person figure is visible.2014-10-03October 03 20142014-10-03A photograph of an outdoor ritual homa at an ashram. A large blazing fire burns in a brick-and-wood fire pit on the left. A man in white dhoti kneels at a raised red-cloth platform, tending brass pots, bowls and offerings beside the fire. Seated before him are several young girls in saffron, green and cream clothes with white and orange flower garlands in their hair. Behind them, dozens of boys and young men in saffron robes and rudraksha beads sit on mats with garlands. A man in a rust-red shawl and flower garland sits on an orange armchair on a raised platform at the back, with a video camera on a tripod at the right. Red pillars and green trees frame the open pavilion.2014-10-03A photograph of a homa fire ritual at an outdoor temple-style courtyard. A large square golden-yellow fire pit holds a bright flame, with white petal or powder offerings dotted around its rim. A priest in white dhoti and shawl with gold borders stands at the left, bending forward and offering items toward the fire. Another man in a white dhoti kneels at the far left, and a man in reddish-brown dhoti stands behind with hands folded. Five young girls in red and gold sarees with white flower garlands sit in a row behind the fire pit. A silver kalasha or vessel sits on the left edge, and a colourful deity shrine with yellow marigold garlands and carved lions is visible at the top right. Banana plants and a flagpole appear in the background.2014-10-03Outdoor fire ritual under a open pavilion with a large wooden fire pit blazing in the foreground. A man in a white dhoti kneels at the pit, tending the flames, while a row of young girls in green, pink and orange-red saris with flower garlands sits beside it. Brass vessels, a tray of flowers and an offering plate lie near the fire, and a decorated cart with a white cloth stands in the background among banana plants and bunting.2014-10-03October 03 20142014-10-03Night outdoor ritual with smoke rising around a fire pit (homa or yagna) in front of a red-cushioned gold throne. A man in saffron-orange robes with bare upper body and sacred threads sits on the throne, hands folded. Beside the fire, a robed attendant in orange holds a plate of offerings. Several young women in saris sit on mats: one in green and maroon, one in blue, one in maroon with orange, and one in blue with a white dupatta, holding pink flowers. A man in white dhoti stands at right, and figures in maroon sit in the background. Garlands of yellow and orange marigolds, brass lamps and vessels, an open book and a standing fan surround the ritual area on striped mats.2013-10-13October 03 20142014-10-03