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A night-time homa at an outdoor ashram setting. A large yellow-painted fire pit burns brightly in the foreground, with lemons placed around its rim and bundled sticks feeding the flames. Behind it, a young man in white dhoti and shawl, wearing a green head cloth, a gold necklace and red-and-gold armbands, raises a metal lamp with a flame high in one hand. Around the fire, several young men in saffron-orange cloths and rudraksha-style beaded necklaces sit with white painted markings on their faces and arms; one has hands folded in prayer and another sits behind a microphone stand. Two onlookers in white stand in the background near a wooden pillar.

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A photograph of a homa fire ceremony at night in an open pavilion. A large flame rises from a square yellow-painted fire pit decorated with green mangoes and bundles of sacred twigs. Seated around it are several young men in saffron-orange cloth with white body markings, rudraksha-style beaded necklaces and gold pendants. The central figure wears white dhoti and shawl with a green head wrap and a red tilak, holding a ritual vessel and spoon-like implement. Another seated youth at right holds a ritual item, while others press palms together in prayer. A man in white stands in the background near a shrine display.2013-09-13September 13 20132013-09-13A homa fire ritual at night in an open hall. A yellow-painted square fire pit with lemons placed around its rim sits in the foreground. A young man in a plain white dhoti and shawl, a green headcloth, gold-bead necklaces and white forehead markings stirs the fire with a wooden stick. Five other young men in saffron-orange cloth, white body markings and gold and rudraksha-style necklaces sit around him, one holding a long stick. A microphone stands behind the pit, with brass bowls and a pile of dry sticks nearby. Sanctified fruit and ritual vessels are set out on the floor.2013-09-13September 13 20132013-09-13A photograph of a homa fire pit with a raised yellow-painted square base holding a dark ash-filled hollow, with split wooden logs and small green limes placed around its edges. Seated behind it, a young man in white dhoti and shawl wears a green turban, gold necklace and bangles and sits in quiet focus, with white markings on his arms and forehead. To the left and right, several young boys in saffron-orange cloth wear rudraksha malas and gold pendants and sit cross-legged. A microphone stand stands behind the fire pit. Two people in the background lean in, and a brass vessel is set on the platform's corner.2013-09-13September 13 20132013-09-13A homa fire ritual at night in an open courtyard. A fire burns in a yellow-edged stone fire pit strewn with yellow flowers. Five young men in saffron-orange robes sit around it. The central one wears an orange turban and a gold necklace, and pours an offering from a ladle into the flames. Another wears a rudraksha mala and holds a ladle; a man in an orange shawl and brown beaded mala speaks into a microphone, and another holds a small silver vessel. Smoke rises above them. White sacred ash marks the foreheads and arms of the men.2013-11-04A night-time homa at a wooden fire pit with a large, bright flame. A man in a white dhoti with a green turban pours offerings from a steel bowl into the fire. Around him, priests in white and orange-red cloths wear rudraksha malas, and one bald priest has a white tilak on his forehead. A green-clad figure stands at the right edge, and brass offerings and a plantain leaf sit nearby. No one is clearly identified as a person by appearance cues.2015-01-04Night outdoor fire ritual. A yellow-rimmed square fire pit blazes in the foreground. A man in a white dhoti with a white head cloth and a white shawl, bare-chested with a rudraksha-style necklace and gold armlet, leans over the flames offering an orange cloth into the fire. Behind him, three men in saffron-orange robes with shaved heads and white forehead markings stand; one holds a brass tray with flowers, another stands centrally. On the left, two young women in orange saris with beaded necklaces and forehead markings sit cross-legged, with a few seated onlookers behind them. On the right, a decorated altar is heaped with yellow and orange marigold garlands, fruit and brass vessels. A man in white clothing plays a small instrument at the back.2013-11-07A photograph of an outdoor fire ritual at dusk in a garden setting with banana plants. A bare-chested young man in orange dhoti with white body markings and tilak sits before a yellow-painted rectangular fire pit, holding a metal vessel from which flames rise. Behind him, several young men in orange dhotis, gold-bordered cloths and gold-beaded garlands stand or sit with white ash-painted arms and chests. A seated man at left in orange holds a sheet of paper and a microphone. Brass lamps, a green glass vase with leaves, silver bowls, marigold garlands and yellow fruit sit on the ground. Homa ritual with offerings.2016-11-06November 04 20132013-11-04Outdoor evening homa at a raised square fire pit, with tall flames rising on the left. Three young men in white dhotis and white shoulder cloths sit on the ground at the altar. The central figure, bare-chested with a rudraksha mala, sits with hands together in prayer, and a second young man, bare-chested with white tilak on his forehead, sits to the right. A seated boy in white with a yellow-bordered shawl sits beside the central figure. Brass vessels and yellow flower-topped kalashas with red cloth stand on the altar. About two dozen boys and young men sit and watch on the left, many in white and dark clothes, in a courtyard with a brick wall behind.2013-02-26 +1 copies