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Nithyanandapedia
June 12 2004

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A photograph of a homa fire ritual at a puja platform, with a flame and smoke rising from a square fire pit lined with white and pink offerings, flowers and a brick border. A shirtless man in white dhoti and an orange-and-white cloth stands at the fire holding a long wooden stick. Beside him, a figure in orange robes and an orange turban holds the stick at the fire, with long dark hair and a rudraksha mala. On the right, an older man in white dhoti and a white sleeveless top, wearing glasses and a beaded mala, stands with palms pressed together in namaskar. Behind them, a crowd of devotees in white and in pink and gray clothing watches, and a man holds a brass vessel. Garlands, flower bouquets and brass pots lie on the floor.2004-06-12A homa fire ritual in a open-sided hall with brick pillars and a thatched or leafy ceiling. A fire burns in a rectangular stone fire pit with ash, and a red kalasha-like pot decorated with flowers sits in the flames. A priest in white dhoti with red-and-gold border and a red beaded necklace stands at right holding a brass ladle and a bowl of offering. Beside him, a bare-chested man in a dark shirt and white dhoti holds a brass dish. Behind them, a group of people in saffron and orange robes and rudraksha malas stand with hands folded in prayer, and a few in white stand at left. Flower garlands and a tray of offerings lie at lower left.2012-09-24A night-time homa at an outdoor ritual pavilion. A large yellow-painted square fire pit with a bright flame sits in the foreground, decorated with white and purple floral markings and scattered flower petals. Behind it, a priest in an orange-red turban and orange cloth, wearing a rudraksha mala, sits cross-legged and feeds offerings into the fire from a bowl. Beside him, another ritual assistant in an orange turban and orange cloth tends the fire. Standing men in white dhotis with gold borders, some bare-chested and some wearing shawls, stand in the background. Brass lamps, a tray of flower petals, a covered brass vessel and small offering plates sit on a striped mat, along with a silver puja tray holding pink flowers and lit wicks. Gold decorative arches stand behind the group.2017-09-17September 24 20122012-09-24February 07 20162016-02-07A night fire ritual. A seated priest in an orange-red turban and orange cloth pours offerings into the fire while a second orange-clad sadhu sits beside him. Around the pit, many white-dressed men with yellow-bordered dhotis, some bare-chested and wearing rudraksha malas, stand or sit on striped cloth. Brass trays of flowers, lamps, betel and pink petals sit in the foreground, with a camera tripod and a sound speaker in the background.2017-09-17February 07 20162016-02-07November 27 20062006-11-27February 07 20162016-02-07A photograph of a homa or fire ritual in a temple hall. A large open fire burns in a raised wooden-framed fire pit at the centre-bottom, with smoke rising. A seated priest with a green turban and bare chest, wearing a white dhoti with a striped border, holds a small lamp or offering over the fire. A second priest in a white dhoti stands bent over beside him, holding a lamp. Behind them a woman in an orange-red sari presses her palms together in prayer, and another figure in a red-orange sari stands to the right beside a white-draped table with red flowers. Brass vessels, marigold and yellow flower garlands, and a pile of rice grains sit near the fire pit. Striped red and white pillars and steps frame the background, where other people in white stand watching.2017-07-08Night outdoor homa in progress at a temple-style ritual site. A large yellow square fire pit with a bright flame sits in the foreground, decorated with purple floral garlands and white rangoli-style patterns. Behind it, a red-robed priest wearing a red turban and rudraksha mala pours offerings into the fire, while another red-turbaned priest beside him tends the flame. Several shirtless men in white dhotis with gold borders stand and sit around the area, some holding plates. On a striped cloth sit brass plates of pink flowers, sweets, kumkum, and lit oil lamps. Gold-framed decorative arches and a speaker stand are visible in the background. Whether the person in the orange and red robes is a person cannot be established from appearance alone.2017-09-17A night-time fire ritual, a homa, is performed before a sacred fire pit with rising smoke and flames. A standing priest in saffron-orange dhoti and shawl, wearing a long beaded mala, holds a ritual vessel high above his head. Beside him, another priest in saffron with a red-orange headcloth holds a ceremonial implement. A seated, bare-chested young man in an orange cloth with a beaded necklace sits with palms joined in prayer, and a figure in a saffron wrap sits with folded hands near the fire. Behind them, a crowd of devotees in white and saffron stands with hands joined. On the right, a decorated altar shelf holds flowers, a golden ornament, a kalasha-like vessel and a carved deity murti.2016-02-07