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A bare-chested man with a full dark beard and long matted hair tied up stands in profile on the right, holding a silver tray heaped with dried red chillies and stems. He wears an orange saffron cloth over his shoulder, a rudraksha mala on his wrist and beads at his neck. Behind him is a golden deity murti on a red-draped altar with yellow and maroon drapes. The setting is a Navaratri Chandi Homa offering at Adi KAILASA, with the tray of dry offerings used as a Vishesha Dravya offering. The figure is an appearance-based candidate given the bare chest, saffron cloth and rudraksha cues, so he is labelled a person with the role of priest presenting offerings.

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A photograph of a ritual at a temple setting with gold drapes and a golden deity murti in the background. A bearded man with dreadlocked hair, a red tilak on his forehead, rudraksha and gold-bead necklaces, and an orange shawl holds a silver plate heaped with red kumkum powder during a homa offering. Other ritual participants with turbans and bare-shouldered wraps sit behind him, and a red cloth-covered offering table holds brass plates.2021-10-07A bearded priest with long dark hair, bare-chested, wearing an orange dhoti and a dark rudraksha-style mala with a wrapped orange sash, stands at a homa fire pouring dried red chillies or offerings from a silver plate into thick smoke rising beside a large golden deity murti of a bull or nandi figure with ornate gold carvings. Fresh marigolds and roses are arranged in a floral heap in front, and an oil lamp glows at the right edge. A second person with a beaded headdress is partly visible at the left. The scene is an evening Chandi Homa purnahuti during Navaratri at a temple.2021-10-08October 07 20212021-10-07Photograph of a Vishesha Dravya Homa during Navaratri at Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA. A man in the foreground with long dreadlocked hair, white and red tilak on his forehead, a beard, gold necklaces and an orange-and-brown cloth holds a metal tray heaped with reddish-brown grains, raised above his head. Behind him, a second man with a white tilak and gold necklace looks down. The background shows a red and blue painted wall panel and golden draped fabric.2021-10-09A photograph of a Chandi Homa purnahuti ritual at Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam. In the foreground a bearded man with long dreadlocked hair, orange cloth draped over his shoulder, rudraksha bracelets and gold beaded necklaces, holds a silver tray heaped with yellow turmeric powder. Behind him a second man in a patterned yellow-and-black head wrap, bare-chested with gold and rudraksha necklaces, holds another tray. Red and gold draped fabric fills the background.2021-10-07A bearded man with long swept-back hair and a red tilak on his forehead holds a brass plate heaped with cooked white rice toward the viewer, wearing an orange wrap and layered gold-bead and rudraksha necklaces. Behind him, two other men in white and saffron-and-gold headwear and bare upper bodies stand near red cloth-covered trays of grains and offerings during a homa ritual. Caption text reads Nithyananda Paramashivam Devalayam, Adi KAILASA, Navaratri 2021 Day 1 Vishesha Dravya Homa and Chandi Homa Purnahuti.2021-10-07October 07 20212021-10-07October 12 20212021-10-12Photograph of a ritual offering at a temple event. In the foreground a bearded man with long matted hair and a vermilion tilak on his forehead holds a silver plate heaped with golden fried snack strands, wearing orange-saffron cloth, rudraksha bead bracelets and a gold-toned beaded necklace. Behind him, blurred figures wear white and orange headcloths and saffron garments, and a red and gold backdrop fills the background. The bottom caption reads Navaratri 2021, Day 1 - Vishesha Dravya Homa and Chandi Homa Purnahuti, indicating a homa offering.2021-10-07A photograph of a homa ritual in a temple setting. A bearded man with white vibhuti horizontal markings on his forehead and arms, wearing an orange cloth over his shoulder, a brown wrap, and a long gold bead necklace, holds a large bunch of yellow bananas in both hands. Behind him, a bare-chested attendant with white markings and a gold necklace stands, and at the right edge another person in a striped headwrap and brown garment is partly visible. A rudraksha bracelet and a small pendant are visible. Blurred red and gold drapery and a lit lamp fill the background.2021-10-08A photograph of a Hindu ritual at a temple shrine. A bearded man with long dreadlocked hair and a bare upper body, wearing an orange saffron dhoti and orange shawl with gold border, a rudraksha mala and bead bracelet, and white ash markings on his arms and forehead, leans over a brick fire pit reaching toward a large bunch of bananas, with a green coconut and other offerings nearby. Smoke rises from the homa. Behind him stands a golden deity shrine canopy framed with white jasmine garlands and red cloth, with brass lamps and a kalasha. The setting is a vishesha dravya homa during Navaratri at Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Devalayam, Adi KAILASA.2021-10-09A photograph of a homa ritual at a temple setting. In the foreground a stone fire pit holds burning wood and yellow turmeric-covered offerings. Standing at right, a bearded man with long dark hair, bare-chested, wears an orange dhoti, a rudraksha mala, a gold chain and bangles, and a red tilak on his forehead; he pours grains from a brass plate into the fire. Behind him stands a second attendant in a white dhoti with a gold border and a striped shawl, and a third man in a white turban and orange cloth. Behind them, red-draped tiered platforms hold yellow and orange offerings in brass plates, with an ornate brass lamp and a golden deity murti on the left. Swamiji (probable) is identified by appearance cues: long swept-back hair, rudraksha mala and gold necklace on the man pouring the offering.2021-10-07