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Night homa ritual outdoors: a wooden fire pit with a rising flame and smoke sits on a low wooden platform. A priest with bare upper body and white dhoti with pink border, with white sacred markings on his arm, sits and gestures toward the fire. Another priest in white sits at left. A shirtless young man sits beside the fire pit. Behind the fire is a golden throne with red cushion where a figure in saffron/orange turban, rudraksha mala and gold necklace sits raised with hand raised, labelled as Swamiji (probable) on the throne. Long tables in front hold many offering plates with herbs, bark, leaves, red and yellow powders, flowers, rice and ghee bowls, on a striped cloth. Trishul staffs and garlanded deity shrine at upper left.

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A homa fire ritual in progress: a fire burns in a wooden fire pit on a striped multicolour cloth. A priest on the left, bare-backed and wearing white dhoti with white sacred ash markings on his arm and shoulder, tends the fire. Behind the fire, a young man sits cross-legged in white clothes with a bare upper body. Around the fire are many bowls of offering materials: red and orange powders, roasted and dried herbs, bark and seeds, green leaves, rose petals in a metal tray, and white powder. On the right a row of white and silver ritual items stand in trays, and gold-painted deity structure appears behind. Brass pots and ladles sit beside the pit.2017-03-16March 16 20172017-03-16A homa fire burns in a raised wooden fire pit on a colourful striped cloth. Around it, many wooden plates and bowls hold dried herbs, roots, bark pieces, grains, red and yellow powders, green leaves and white salt for ritual offerings. A bowl of pink flowers sits at left, and a row of small white-tipped packets lies at right. A shirtless man with a sacred thread sits behind the fire pit, and another person in white clothing sits at the left edge. Copper and brass vessels and a golden structure appear in the background.2017-03-16Photo 11712445March 16 20172017-03-16Night-time homa ceremony under a tent with string lights. A large flame rises from a square fire pit at centre, with priests in white dhotis tending it and a shirtless man kneeling at the pit's edge. Around the fire, many plates hold dried herbs, roots and offerings. Behind, a decorated deity murti with flower garlands stands under a canopy. On the right, a seated man on a gold and red throne under a striped canopy wears an orange robe, a white flower garland and an orange shawl; a trident stands on each side of the throne. Probable Swamiji (seated on throne in orange robe with flower garland, distinctive long hair and ornate throne), depicted in the Visesha Deeksha homa.2017-03-16March 16 20172017-03-16Night-time homa at an outdoor pavilion with a tin roof and string lights. A large flame rises from a fire pit at centre, with a priest in white dhoti and shawl tending it and a bowl of offerings beside it. Along the front, many small dishes hold grains, herbs and seeds on a striped cloth. Seated on an ornate golden throne under a colourful canopy is a figure in saffron-orange robes with a white flower garland, hands joined in greeting; the orange robes and long swept hair are visible cues, so the figure is a person. Other priests in white stand at the right, and a decorated deity murti stands at the left.2017-03-16March 16 20172017-03-16 +1 copiesMarch 16 20172017-03-16March 16 20172017-03-16 +1 copiesNight-time homa at an open-air ritual space under a corrugated roof and string lights. A large flame rises from a square fire pit in the centre, surrounded by many small plates of grains, herbs and offerings laid on striped mats. A seated figure in a red-brown robe with a flower garland sits on an ornate gold throne with red cushions, a trident and a canopy overhead. Nearby, bare-chested young men in white dhotis perform the ritual; one kneels in front holding up a hand, another stands behind with a decorated kalasha or altar of flowers. A devotee in a white dhoti stands at the left edge.2017-03-16 +1 copies