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Nithyanandapedia
March 02 2018

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Night-time homa at an open-air temple pavilion with bamboo scaffolding and a partly built pillared hall behind. A large fire blazes in a tiered yagna kund ringed with yellow marigold and red flower garlands. On the right, a bare-chested priest in white dhoti and shawl pours an offering from a vessel into the flames. Behind him, several priests in white and saffron stand with hands joined. On the left, a seated figure in a gold and red throne under a colourful canopy wears a flower garland and sits with hands folded, marked as the presiding figure. Brass vessels and a plate sit on the floor in front.2018-03-02Night ritual inside a partly built open hall with bamboo scaffolding and concrete pillars. A seated man on a gilded ornate throne with a red cushion wears a rust-orange garment and a garland of red and yellow flowers, and a robed attendant stands near him. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti and shawl, with rudraksha beads, tends a homa fire pit ringed with yellow marigold and red flower garlands, holding a small bowl and ritual items. Brass vessels, a trident, a kalasha-style lamp stand and a patterned mat lie on the floor. Seven or so other priests in white dhotis stand in folded-hands devotion behind the fire, and a woman in orange sari stands at the rear. A golden canopy hangs above the throne.2018-03-02Night-time temple ritual inside a scaffolded hall with bare brick pillars and bamboo supports. In the foreground a large stone yoni-pitha type base with a central shivalinga-style column is decorated with yellow and orange marigold garlands and red petals. A priest in white dhoti and shawl, with a red tilak and rudraksha-style necklace, extends his hands over the base during the puja. Behind him, several men in white dhotis and bare chests stand with folded hands, one holding a bell or small vessel. On the left, a seated figure in saffron-orange robes with a marigold garland sits on a large ornate gold throne with a red cushion, with a golden kalasha and brass lamp beside it. Brass bowls, a burning oil lamp and flower offerings lie on the floor, and a fan stands nearby.2018-03-02Night-time homa at an open-air temple pavilion. In the foreground a large fire burns in a tiered yagna kunda decorated with marigold garlands and red kumkum. Behind it a priest in white dhoti with a saffron-and-gold shawl holds a vessel over the flames and offers oblations, while a second priest in cream dhoti with a gold border holds a bundle of kusha grass beside him. At right a man in a saffron dhoti with a red rudraksha mala and bare chest, hands folded in anjali, stands by a table of flowers and offerings. Behind them more white-clad priests tend additional fire pits under bamboo-supported roofing, with a deity shrine lit at the back. Coconuts, flowers and brass pots sit on the ground.2018-03-02Night-time homa at an outdoor temple courtyard. Several priests in white dhotis and bare upper bodies stand around raised stone fire pits, one with a large flame. A priest in a yellow-and-white dhoti holds a ladle or offering over the central fire, while another with folded hands stands beside him. On the right, a golden deity murti or ornate image is decorated with red and yellow flower garlands, with fruits, coconuts and brass vessels arranged on a red-draped table. Marigold garlands line the fire platforms. Scaffolding and pillars frame the background, and a lit shrine is visible at left.2018-03-02December 07 20162016-12-07Night-time homa at an outdoor ritual space under strings of coloured lights. A priest in orange with an orange turban and white body markings sits before a fire pit lined with yellow cloth, pouring offerings into the flames. Around him, several men in orange or white dhotis stand and sit, handling brass vessels, a tray of red flower petals and a plate of white grains. On a raised gold throne with a red cushion, a seated figure in a maroon robe and rudraksha mala receives the ritual. A standing attendant in white dhoti and bare chest with a long garland stands at the right beside a floral-decorated altar. Colourful striped mats cover the ground.2017-04-16Night photo of a homa fire ritual at an open temple courtyard. In the centre, a bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a gold-and-saffron cloth draped over the shoulder holds a silver vessel with a coconut and fruit toward a stone fire pit with bright flames and flower garlands. Beside him, another priest in a white dhoti with yellow borders holds ritual items and performs the offering. At right, a priest with folded palms wears red beads and a yellow-and-blue dhoti. Brass pots, marigold garlands and red offerings lie around the fire, and a shrine with deity murti and wooden pillars with bamboo scaffolding stands behind. Several more priests in white are visible at left.2018-03-02Night-time homa ritual in an open-air temple courtyard with a shallow fire pit in the foreground, ringed with marigold garlands and red flower petals. Several shirtless priests in white dhotis with yellow borders stand around the flames; one holds a small brass vessel and another raises a tapered ritual implement, while a third has hands folded in namaskar. To the far right an older man in a blue-bordered white dhoti tends a table draped in red and covered with flowers and fruit. Behind the fire, a shrine on the left holds a colourful deity murti framed by a decorated arch, and white scaffolding and pillars line the hall. Offering plates, a brass lamp, and a yellow cloth bundle sit on the ground.2018-03-02January 06 20182018-01-06A night ritual photograph in an open pavilion. In the centre, a man with long dark hair, rudraksha mala and gold pendant sits on a red-cushioned golden throne with hands pressed together in prayer. In the foreground, a fire pit (homa kunda) with a flame is decorated with white and pink flower petals. A man in white dhoti with blue border leans over to pour from a vessel near the fire. On the right, a bearded man in yellow turban and yellow shawl with rudraksha malas holds a flame lamp and ritual items. Several men in saffron-orange robes stand behind, and fans and flower-filled baskets surround the scene. Visible people number about ten.2017-08-02A night homa at an open-air ritual site: a large fire blazes in a stone fire pit surrounded by brass bowls, trays of flowers, fruit and coconut offerings. Seated in the foreground, a priest in a white dhoti and a shawl over his shoulders sits beside a bearded officiant wearing orange clothing, red and orange garlands and a rudraksha mala, who holds a ritual vessel. Behind them, rows of seated devotees in white and saffron-coloured clothes fill the courtyard. On the left, a golden throne with a red cushion holds a framed portrait of a figure in orange clothing and red garlands; the portrait is a depiction and no appearance-based identification is made. Marigold garlands decorate the foreground.2016-04-03