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Nithyanandapedia
December 24 2011

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Evening temple ritual before a richly decorated deity murti draped in garlands of yellow, red, white and purple flowers, with a gold-tinted halo behind it. A seated priest in orange-saffron robes, a rudraksha-style bead necklace and a tall patterned headdress performs puja on a raised altar covered with a red-and-gold cloth. Oil lamps and torches burn, and brass bowls hold rice, flowers, fruit and kumkum. A young woman in white with an orange shawl holds a basket of fruit toward the priest, and several people stand behind them, including a woman in white with folded hands. Incense smoke rises in the warm-lit hall.2011-12-24December 24 20112011-12-24A night-time temple scene in which a seated priest in saffron-orange robes, wearing a tall decorated cylindrical headpiece and a white flower garland, performs a ritual with a lit torch-like flame before a golden-and-red garlanded deity murti on an ornate golden palanquin. Devotees in white clothes and white shawls stand in line holding a brass plate with offerings, while other people in white and saffron stand behind. Oil lamps, brass plates of flowers and fruit, and a magenta cloth cover the wooden-and-gold platform. Garlands in red, yellow and green decorate the deity, and a hanging decoration is visible on the left.2011-12-24December 24 20112011-12-24December 24 20112011-12-24Night outdoor ritual under a corrugated roof at an ashram. A golden deity murti decorated with red and yellow marigold garlands sits on a gold peetha with a golden elephant-shaped vessel in front. A fire burns in a yellow-painted homa pit where a man in a white dhoti bows low to the ground. A monk in saffron robes pours from a vessel beside a fire pit. A seated woman in saffron robes holds a yellow plate while a monk in orange attends her. A white-clad woman stands at right with a yellow cloth. Offerings of fruit, coconuts and flowers lie on the ground. A tall figure in orange-saffron robe and turban sits in the foreground.2013-11-04A photograph of a ritual in an ashram hall. A man in an orange turban, saffron-orange garment and white garland sits on a red cushioned seat at left, extending his hand to take an orange fruit from a kneeling man in white shirt with a rudraksha mala. Behind them a deity murti sits on a golden throne draped with multicoloured flower garlands. Two women in white saris, one holding a silver plate of fruit and bananas, stand near brass oil lamps arranged on the floor. Other attendees stand in the background, and a potted plant is at right.2015-06-02A temple ritual at night under a corrugated roof with hanging fabric tassels. In the centre, a man in an orange robe with a red shawl draped over his shoulder holds a burning flame or lamp toward a large deity murti decorated with a garland of yellow, white and red flowers, seated on a magenta cloth. A younger assistant in orange, wearing a decorated white and blue headdress, stands beside him. On the golden altar table sit offering plates with fruit, sweets and kumkum, a brass bowl and a stack of books. To the left, white-clad devotees and a cameraman watch and photograph the ceremony, while a staffer in white stands nearby.2011-12-24A night temple ritual under a corrugated roof with red pillars and hanging striped tassel decorations. A man in saffron-orange robes and a red shawl holds a flaming lamp toward a large deity murti draped in garlands of yellow and red flowers and a magenta cloth, while a second priest in saffron dress and a tall pleated white-and-black cap stands beside him holding a brass lamp. A brass table holds offering plates, a bowl of yellow food, and a black pouch. Standing devotees in white and cream dress, some with cameras, watch in the background.2011-12-24A photograph of a puja at a stage with a golden throne draped in garlands of red, yellow, green and purple flowers. A man in a crown and turban, wearing a gold necklace, a red flower garland and an orange-and-gold dhoti, sits on the throne with his hands resting on the armrests. Beside him on a smaller gold throne sits an elderly bearded man in saffron robes with a flower garland and a striped forehead marking. In front, a priest in a dark red-brown dhoti and rudraksha mala performs a ritual over a flame and a brass tray of bananas and offerings, while a younger man in white dhoti with a rudraksha mala and another boy in white assist. A kalasha and fruit offerings sit on a low table, with a wall-mounted air conditioner and a fan at the edge.2015-04-28October 10 20172017-10-10August 09 20152015-08-09