In the Vedic Hinduism, a homa (Sanskrit: होम) also known as havan, is a fire ritual performed on special occasions by a Hindu priest usually for a homeowner (“grihastha”: one possessing a home)
The grihasth keeps different kinds of fire including one to cook food, heat his home, amongst other uses; therefore, a Yajna offering is made directly into the fire
A homa is sometimes called a “sacrifice ritual” because the fire destroys the offering, but a homa is more accurately a “votive ritual”
The fire is the agent, and the offerings include those that are material and symbolic such as grains, ghee, milk, incense and seeds
It is rooted in the Vedic religion, and was adopted in ancient times by Buddhism and Jainism
The practice spread from India to Central Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia
Homa rituals remain an important part of many Hindu ceremonies, and variations of homa continue to be practiced in current-day Buddhism, particularly in parts of Tibet and Japan
It is also found in modern Jainism
A homa is known by alternative names, such as yajna in Hinduism which sometimes means larger public fire rituals, or jajnavidhana or goma in Buddhism
In modern times, a homa tends to be a private ritual around a symbolic fire, such as those observed at a wedding