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Night ritual photograph of two priests performing aarti with a lit oil lamp in a brass lamp-stand held over a woven basket. The priest on the left is bare-chested with a white dhoti and white shawl, a gold chain around his neck, and short curly hair. The priest on the right wears a blue and gold turban, a purple and gold shawl, a white dhoti with blue border, and a gold ceremonial chain. Seated devotees in white fill the foreground and background. Floral garlands in pink and yellow lie on a decorated altar in front, with a brass kalasha-style vessel and lit lamps beside them.

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August 31 20152015-08-31August 31 20152015-08-31A photograph of a night fire ritual at a homa pit, with a bright open flame rising from a stone fire pit decorated with red and white rangoli. A priest in white dhoti with a blue and gold border and a purple shawl stands bare-chested, holding a long white cloth over the fire, wearing a rudraksha-style necklace and a wristwatch. Beside him a second man in a white dhoti kneels at the pit, and two men in white stand at right, one holding a microphone and another with a small bell-like vessel. Brass vessels, banana bunches, pink flower garlands and fruit offerings sit around the pit. Behind them a glass-fronted shrine case holds a framed picture and deity murti, and a crowd of seated devotees in white fills the dim hall. The scene suggests a homa or yagna during a devotional gathering.2015-08-31Night fire ritual outdoors: a standing bare-chested man wearing a white dhoti with a pink sash and a white flower garland stands beside a seated priest in a pink turban, white dhoti and gold-bordered cloth, who tends a burning fire pit lined with bricks. Behind them a draped blue-grey altar holds fruit, a coconut, flowers, a kalasha-style vessel and a small bell-shaped lamp. A crowd in white and pink clothing watches in the dark background. The scene suggests a homa/yagna.2015-12-25October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight ritual at a homa fire pit: a fierce flame rises from a white stone fire altar. Two priests stand behind it; a woman in white sari with an orange-and-white head wrap holds a brass plate of offerings, and a shaved-headed man in white dhoti and shawl with beaded necklaces stands beside her. Seated devotees in white line the background, a decorated orange banner hangs overhead with leafy strings, and brass oil lamps and flower offerings sit at the right foreground. Some devotees watch from the left. No clear a person candidate is visible.2010-10-16 +2 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesA night-time homa at an outdoor ritual space lit by lamps, with a raised square fire pit of white-tiled steps where a bright flame burns and flower petals lie scattered. In the foreground, a bare-shouldered priest in white dhoti with a gold necklace faces the fire from behind. Standing near the pit, a woman in white sari with a yellow-orange head wrap and beaded necklaces raises her hand over the fire, while a man in white robes kneels beside a carved wooden stool. Behind them, a row of seated devotees in white and orange clothing fills the mat-covered ground, with garlanded green leaf torans overhead and a decorated seat with red and green fabric and brass lamps on the right.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight photograph of a Chandi Homa fire ritual in an open outdoor area. A tiered white stone fire pit blazes at center. A woman in white garments with a yellow-orange head wrap leans over the flames, while a standing priest in white dhoti and shawl with a gold-toned necklace holds a brass tray of offerings. A seated officiant in white kneels at the lower left and another in white stands at right. Behind the pit, a row of seated devotees in white clothes watches. Strings of green leaves hang overhead, and brass oil lamps, flower garlands and offering plates sit at the right edge. A wooden yagna vessel stands near the fire. No candidate for a person is distinctly identifiable.2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight photo of a homa fire ritual at an outdoor ashram courtyard. A large flame rises from a fire pit in the foreground. A man in a white dhoti and turban holds a flaming lamp aloft on the left. Beside him, a bald priest in white with a rudraksha mala stands with palms pressed together. On the right, a bald man in white and a yellow shawl holds a brass vessel and bows. Seated devotees in white fill the left side, and a woman in white stands with hands folded at the far right. Strings of yellow leaves and bunting hang overhead, with a decorated kalasha pillar and a wooden shield-shaped drum behind the fire. Brass plates of offerings sit at the base of the fire. The text overlay reads 2020 Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam and2010-10-16 +1 copiesNight photo of a homa fire ritual at an open temple courtyard. In the centre, a bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a gold-and-saffron cloth draped over the shoulder holds a silver vessel with a coconut and fruit toward a stone fire pit with bright flames and flower garlands. Beside him, another priest in a white dhoti with yellow borders holds ritual items and performs the offering. At right, a priest with folded palms wears red beads and a yellow-and-blue dhoti. Brass pots, marigold garlands and red offerings lie around the fire, and a shrine with deity murti and wooden pillars with bamboo scaffolding stands behind. Several more priests in white are visible at left.2018-03-02