The object with a conical head that was given to Modi ji by the Purohit to be placed in the Homa kunda is call a Shanku. This particular ritual is called the Shanku Sthapana Vidhana.

In the olden days Shanku was used to determine the 8 directions based on the shadows it cast (1) https://twitter.com/adarshahgd/status/1336945129647566848
Before the use of magnetic compass, the way to determine directions was through the use of Gnomons(Shanku).

This process of establishing all directions is explained in great detail in the Hindu architectural text, Manasara Shilpashastra. Lots of geometry & trigonometry involved
The Shanku Sthapana Vidhana is one among the many traditional architectural techniques mentioned in the Manasara. Here are a few others. https://twitter.com/_ugra_/status/1336676530596896771?s=19
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