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A photograph of a Rudra homa fire ritual outdoors. A bare-chested priest kneels at the front, wearing a gold-patterned head wrap, a white dhoti with a green-and-black border, gold necklaces and a rudraksha mala, while pouring ghee from a brass ladle into a flaming fire. The fire burns in a square brick altar painted with yellow, green and white bands and decorated with pink flower petals. Brass vessels, a bowl of grains and a basket of sacred items sit beside it. Behind, seated participants in white clothes with red shawls and orange lanyards sit on a green mat under a tent.

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A photograph of a Rudra Homa fire ritual outdoors on green mats. A large fire burns on a stepped altar of yellow-painted bricks decorated with red flower petals. Two priests in white dhotis sit bare-chested at the fire; the front priest wears a yellow turban, a golden garland and a green-and-white sacred thread, and holds a ladle over the offerings. Behind them a seated crowd in white clothes and red-orange shawls watches; several participants fold their hands in prayer. To the right stands a decorated shrine with a golden figure and offering plates, and metal vessels of grains and fruit sit in the foreground.2016-07-02A fire ritual in progress: a large tiered brick altar with red, pink and green painted patterns and scattered rose petals holds a blazing fire with smoke rising. Two priests sit close to the fire; one in the centre wears a green cloth on his head and green waist cloth, and a rudraksha-style mala, pouring from a brass vessel. The second priest on the right is bare-chested with white dhoti, beaded necklace and white markings on his body. Behind them a seated crowd in white clothes with orange-red shawls and lanyards fills the hall. Brass bowls, flower garlands, fruit and an oil lamp lie on the floor to the right, indicating a homa or yagna.2016-07-04July 02 20162016-07-02A photograph of a Vedic Rudra homa in progress. A bare-chested priest with a yellow head wrap, rudraksha-style gold necklaces and a green checked cloth sits at a large fire pit with a tall flame, feeding offerings into it. Beside him a younger man in an orange shawl and gold necklaces assists at the fire. Behind them a crowd of participants sits on mats in white and red garments, several with orange tilak marks on their foreheads, many with hands joined in prayer. Rose petals and grains sit on the yellow-edged fire platform with brass bowls nearby. No individual is clearly identifiable as a person from appearance; the figures are shown as priests and devotees.2016-07-02A homa fire ritual in progress. In the foreground a bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a gold-and-green cloth wrap and a yellow turban-style headwrap, wearing a gold beaded necklace, holds a ritual stick over a brass bowl. Beside him a younger man with a green-bordered cloth and rudraksha-style beaded string offers into the flames. A large fire burns on a bed of yellow bricks sprinkled with white powder and pink flower petals. Behind them, seated devotees in white clothes with red shawls and vibhuti tilak on their foreheads watch and participate.2016-07-02July 02 20162016-07-02 +1 copiesOutdoor Rudra homa fire ritual. A bare-chested priest in a yellow head cloth and white dhoti, wearing a rudraksha mala and gold beaded necklace, feeds offerings into a large flame rising from a pit built of stacked yellow-ochre bricks decorated with red flower petals. Behind him, a crowd of dozens of people in white clothes and red shawls sit in rows, many with orange forehead marks and orange lanyards. Brass vessels, a basket of grain, flowers and fruit lie on a green cloth in the foreground. A few people in white stand at the back of the crowd.2016-07-02July 02 20162016-07-02 +1 copiesOutdoor Vedic fire ritual (homa) in progress. A large flame rises from a yellow-brick fire pit decorated with pink flower petals, with brass vessels and offerings on a striped cloth. A priest in white dhoti and green shawl, bare-chested with rudraksha beads and a gold chain, feeds the fire. A second priest in white dhoti with a purple border and orange-and-gold shawl kneels with folded hands. Behind them, a seated crowd in white and red-orange shawls and saffron robes watches with palms pressed together, and some people have tilak marks on their foreheads. No figure with distinctive a person presentation cues is clearly identifiable.2016-07-02A photograph of a Vedic fire ritual. A bare-chested priest with a yellow-and-brown turban, rudraksha-style gold necklaces and a green-and-white cloth over his shoulder holds a brass kalasha-style vessel above a large flaming homa fire pit. The yellow brick fire altar is decorated with pink flower petals. Behind him seated participants in white and red-bordered garments, with orange tilak marks on their foreheads, sit with palms pressed together in prayer. Several saffron-robed attendees stand in the background, and a young priest in orange cloth tends the fire. Brass bowls with grains and offerings rest on a cloth on the ground.2016-07-02A homa is performed at a brick fire pit under a white tent, with a large flame rising from the bricks decorated with marigold garlands. A bald priest with a bare chest and a saffron-brown shawl sits cross-legged at the fire, with a red-and-gold sash and beaded necklaces. A man in a patterned saffron-and-gold garment on the right ladles offerings into the fire. Several people in white and saffron dress stand and sit around, including a woman in a white sari and a man in white with a saffron shawl who bows over an altar of flowers. Brass lamps, a kalasha, and a colourful striped cloth lie nearby, with a deity image on a red backdrop in the background.2015-07-17July 04 20162016-07-04