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A homa ceremony under a thatched canopy. A young man in orange robes with a yellow shawl and gold necklace sits cross-legged, palms pressed together in prayer and holding a microphone, in front of a fire pit of stacked brick with a red tray of ghee and offerings. A young assistant in white with an orange shawl and rudraksha mala kneels beside him. Behind them, a man in an orange turban and orange robes sits, and another man in orange stands nearby holding a book. At right an elderly bald man in orange sits on a chair, and a steel plate holds pink flowers beside rows of brass oil lamps. Banners in Tamil script hang behind, and bundles of sticks and offerings lie on the ground.

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A photograph of an outdoor homa ritual under a thatched shelter. A man in orange robes and a saffron-orange cloth sits cross-legged at left, hands pressed in prayer, speaking into a microphone while a man in white with a saffron shawl assists beside him. Behind them, a sadhu in orange with a saffron headwrap stands and another orange-robed attendant stands nearby. At right, an elderly bald man in orange robes and an orange-clad bearded man sit on a chair and a stool facing the ritual area. In front are a red tray with a fire-pit of bricks, a bowl of ghee, sugarcane pieces, bundles of sticks, a plate of flower petals and rows of brass lamps with offerings. Devotees sit in the background.2009-01-16Outdoor homa ceremony under a thatched canopy with orange-draped participants. In the foreground a man in saffron robes, rudraksha mala and gold chain sits with palms pressed together and holds a microphone. Beside a red brick fire pit with burning wood and a steel tray of sticks, a younger man in white holds a plate. Behind, a man in orange holds a framed photograph, and a seated man in saffron wears a gold necklace. On the right, two older sannyasis in orange sit on a striped mat before a microphone stand. Trays of kumkum, flowers, lamps and small brass dishes line the ground, and a Tamil banner hangs behind.2009-01-16A homa fire pit lined with red brick stands in the foreground, holding a tray of ghee-soaked offerings and stacks of wooden sticks. A man in orange robes and an orange shawl with a gold necklace sits cross-legged behind the fire with hands joined in prayer, while a man in white clothing beside him holds a microphone. Behind them, several men in orange robes and rudraksha malas sit on a mat, and a man in an orange turban and orange shawl sits among them. Brass plates of rose petals, kumkum and oil lamps are arranged on the right. A large Tamil banner behind the scene advertises a Guru Homa and Ratha Yatra event.2009-01-16A homa ceremony under a thatched pavilion with a Tamil banner behind. A young man in orange robes and gold necklace sits cross-legged on the left with palms pressed together in prayer, eyes closed. Beside him a man in white holds a microphone and sits near a red tray of ghee-soaked offerings and stacked bricks of a fire pit. A figure in orange robes and a red turban sits on a woven mat in the centre, wearing a rudraksha mala. Other orange-robed sadhus sit on the right, two of them seated on chairs near a microphone stand. Brass lamps, a pot, and bundles of sticks lie on the foreground, and a tray of marigold petals and many small brass oil lamps stands at right. A crowd watches from behind.2009-01-16A homa fire ritual under a thatched canopy with a Tamil banner behind. In the foreground a man in orange robes with folded hands sits beside a red brick fire pit holding a bowl of liquid and bundles of sticks, with brass pots, a bowl of red powder and a small oil lamp nearby. A young man in white with an orange shawl sits beside him. Standing at the back, a man with an orange turban and orange robes wears a rudraksha mala. Two elderly sannyasis in orange robes sit on chairs at the right. A tray of pink flowers and rows of brass plates of offerings lie on the floor, and a crowd of onlookers is visible behind.2009-01-16Outdoor ritual homa beneath a thatched pavilion. A bare-chested priest in saffron dhoti with a gold chain sits cross-legged at a red tray holding a small fire on sand, with brick fire-pit stones in front. A young man in white dhoti with an orange shawl and rudraksha mala sits with folded hands on the right, beside metal bowls of flowers, fruit and offerings. Behind them a standing man in orange robe and orange turban holds a book, another man in orange stands nearby, and two older men in orange robes sit to the right; a microphone stands on a pole. A large banner in Tamil and English reads Ratha Pada Yatra and Nithyanandeshwari Thirukalyanam, with decorated bamboo pillars and red flags behind.2009-01-16A homa fire ritual under a thatched pavilion. At left, a priest in orange robes with a bare chest and gold necklace sits beside a red tray where a fire burns over sacrificial wood with yellow flowers. Metal bowls of offerings, fruit and flowers sit nearby. At right, a clean-shaven older man in orange sits on a chair beside a microphone stand. A young man in white dhoti and orange shawl with a rudraksha mala kneels with folded hands in front of a bowl of flowers and sugarcane. Standing behind them are several men in orange robes and garlands, with a row of seated devotees behind. A colourful banner and a decorated pillar appear in the background.2009-01-16Outdoor photo of a Guru Homa ceremony under a thatched shade canopy with blue-and-red bunting. In the foreground a priest in saffron robes and gold necklaces kneels at a red-brick fire pit, stirring with a ladle, with brass bowls of offerings and bundled sticks beside him. Rows of small clay lamps are lined up on a striped mat. A standing man in orange robes and a gold necklace speaks into a microphone on a stand, while a seated elderly man in orange robes and a white shawl sits nearby. Another seated man in orange with a saffron turban and rudraksha mala sits on a chair at left. A crowd of standing and seated devotees, many women in saffron and colourful saris, fills the background and right side, with a photographer's camera visible at lower right.2009-01-16Outdoor ritual under a thatched canopy with a large Tamil banner behind it. A young priest in saffron dhoti and orange shawl with a rudraksha mala sits cross-legged before a red brick fire pit where a homa is burning, with flames rising from the offering. Nearby, a man in a white shirt and orange shawl kneels before a tray of small oil lamps on the mat. Two other saffron-clad men sit on a raised platform; one wears an orange turban and a mala, and another stands wearing orange robes. A seated elderly man in orange and a white-clad attendant also appear near the platform. Brass pots, a plate of flowers and fruit, and a kalasha-like vessel lie on the ground. A dense crowd of devotees, many in white, watches from behind the platform.2009-01-16A homa ceremony under a thatched pandal. A priest in orange robes and a gold necklace sits cross-legged at a red brick fire pit, holding a ladle and offering into a small flame set in sand. Behind him, a woman in orange with a long shawl sits on a mat, and several men in orange stand and sit beside a white banner. A young man in white dhoti and orange shawl kneels with folded hands on the right. Before him, rows of brass bowls hold colored powders, grains and flowers, and a steel bowl of pink flowers and bananas sits nearby. Stacked sticks lie in a metal tray.2009-01-16Outdoor ritual under a woven palm-thatch canopy at a Tamil Nadu temple-style event. Foreground: a young man in orange robes and a gold-beaded necklace sits cross-legged, tending a red tray holding a bowl of liquid, a wooden ladle and offering items. Seated behind him, a man in an orange turban and rudraksha malas sits on a chair on a mat. On the raised stage at right, a man in long-haired orange robes and a gold chain stands at a microphone stand, while a bald elderly man in orange sits with arms folded. Rows of brass oil lamps (diyas) are arranged along the right foreground, a silver bowl holds pink flower petals, and a large crowd of devotees in white, saffron and pink saris watches from behind. A banner with Tamil script and a blue and red decorated pandal frame the scene.2009-01-16Outdoor temple-style ritual under a woven palm-thatch canopy at a homa. In the foreground left, a young priest in saffron-orange robes and a gold necklace sits cross-legged before a red-rimmed brick fire pit, tending it with a long wooden ladle and a brass vessel. Behind him, several saffron-clad priests sit on a striped mat, one wearing an orange turban. On the right, a standing priest in orange robes with a beaded garland speaks into a microphone on a raised stage, while a seated elder in orange sits nearby. Trays of flower petals and rows of oil lamps and offerings sit on the stage cloth. Festive orange and red bunting hangs overhead, and a crowd of devotees watches from behind a white-clad area.2009-01-16