December 31 2011 - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

December 31 2011

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Night outdoor ritual under a corrugated roof. A priest in white dhoti and white shawl sits before a raised white stone platform holding brass vessels and an oil lamp. On the right, a golden palanquin-style throne with a red-and-gold canopy and garlands of yellow and multicoloured flowers holds a deity murti. Seated on the left on an orange cloth are rows of devotees with hands in anjali, including children and women in saffron, pink and green saris. Orange and purple ceremonial mats cover the floor, and a red upholstered chair stands at the right edge.

Night-time ritual gathering in an open pavilion, with a central fire pit or homa altar glowing in the foreground. Dozens of seated participants on striped mats wear white dhotis, saffron and orange robes, and some have bare upper bodies with sacred threads. A priest in saffron robes stands at the right beside an ornate golden throne draped with garlands and a red cloth. Behind the altar, a decorated deity murti stands on a raised dais, with brass lamps and offerings. Hanging oil lamps light the back of the pavilion, and a large dark stone or metal figure with a patterned shawl sits in the right foreground.

2016-02-22 +1 copies

December 31 2011

Night-time ritual in an open-sided pavilion with a corrugated roof. On the right, a large decorated deity murti with a white ornate crown and gold garlands stands on a raised platform draped with red and gold cloth, with brass lamps and flower offerings before it. A man in white dhoti kneels at the platform's base while another in white bends beside him. At left, a standing priest in a saffron-orange cloth holds up a lit lamp, and a seated figure in orange robes with a white garland sits on an orange-cushioned seat. Devotees sit on the floor in the foreground, many women with white jasmine garlands in their hair, along with orange-robed monastics and some Western-looking devotees. Lights, bunting and a decorated pillar frame the scene.

October 03 2014

Night outdoor ritual on an elevated stone platform draped with an orange cloth and a purple-bordered blue mat. A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti with orange-gold border sits cross-legged facing a large crowd seated on the ground and on steps, many in white clothing. Before him stand a silver puja vessel with flowers, small brass bowls, a lit oil lamp, and a fire pit with flames at left. Behind the platform are stone deity sculptures, an orange-painted pedestal holding a black shivalinga-style murti garlanded with flowers, and tall palms. The figure's face and identity are not established by visible evidence, so he is described by role as a priest. Roughly 40 people are visible.

Night-time homa at an open-air outdoor shrine. A central fire burns in front of a gold arched altar decorated with marigold garlands and deity images. Several saffron-robed sannyasis, some with shaved heads, sit cross-legged on an orange cloth before the fire. A white-clad priest with a white head wrap sits on the left, tending the ritual. On a raised platform to the right, a person in an ornate orange robe and gold-trimmed cushioned chair sits with a companion in a saffron garment beside them. Seated devotees in white clothes with red sashes face the altar in the foreground, and a colourful rangoli design is on the ground. A pedestal fan and a sound system are visible at the right.

A night-time outdoor homa or fire ritual in a temple courtyard. A large sacred fire burns on a raised platform in front of an ornate golden throne-like seat draped in red cloth, where a figure in saffron sits beside a gilded parasol. Priests in white and saffron dhotis and shawls perform rites around the fire, with brass vessels and offerings arranged on the platform. Rows of seated devotees in orange, white and yellow garments, many on striped mats, face the fire, and a figure in a red shirt sits near the front. Lamps and a stone deity murti appear at the right edge, with a framed image lit on a wall behind.

Night-time outdoor ritual at an open-air pavilion lit by a single bright spotlight and drifting smoke. On the left, a row of women in saffron, red and purple saris with white and yellow flower garlands sit on a raised platform beside an ornate shrine with a deity murti under an arched white canopy. Facing them, a long line of devotees sit cross-legged on mats: bare-chested men in white dhotis wearing red-orange satsang beads and name badges, women in saffron saris, and children in saffron clothes, some with white flower garlands. A priest in an orange-yellow garment stands in the centre near a small table, and hanging red paper lanterns decorate the ceiling. The scene reads as a satsang or puja gathering. No identifiable a person figure is visible.

Evening outdoor event under a canopy hung with orange pennants and small decorative lamps, with palm trees behind. A man in white dhoti and shawl stands at left holding a microphone and speaking, next to a richly decorated golden palanquin with flower garlands. In the centre, a square fire-pit (homa kund) with offering trays, flowers and kalasha-like vessels sits on a striped mat. Around it, a large seated audience in white clothes sits on mats, with a few women in saris, while a white-robed attendant stands at right. The speaker's face is not visible enough for any appearance-based identification, so his role is described only as the speaker.

Night-time outdoor ritual at an open-sided pavilion. Dozens of seated women in saris and salwar kameez, many in orange, red, magenta, blue and yellow, sit on the paved floor facing a raised platform at right. On the platform, a row of women in white and green garlanded saris sit in front of a bright fire pit. Standing near the platform, a man in an orange turban and orange robe holds a lamp, while other robed attendees in saffron and orange stand behind him. A large oil lamp and small lamps are lit in front. A black bull statue draped with garlands sits at left, and a green banner with a world-map graphic hangs at top right.

A night-time outdoor ritual at an open courtyard temple, with an ornate golden palanquin-style altar holding a deity murti decorated with flower garlands. A tall lit oil lamp stands before it, and a lit kalasha-like vessel sits nearby. Many people sit on a striped multicoloured mat in rows: some in saffron and orange robes, others in white dhotis and shawls, and several children. In the foreground, a dark-stoned seated figure in a gold-bordered shawl faces the scene. Priests in orange and white stand near the altar, and a woman in white stands at left, appearing to conduct the puja or aarti. No readable name or event title is visible in the scene.