April 03 2016 - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

April 03 2016

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Outdoor fire ritual at dusk: a large square fire pit with a tall flame stands in the foreground, decorated with white kolam-style dots and scattered pink flower petals. A bearded priest with a shaved-headed, long-haired appearance wears an ornate red garment and a long beaded garland, holding an open book and gesturing with one hand. Beside him a man in white dhoti sits and tends the fire, and another man in white sits to the right above trays of coconuts, betel leaves, fruit, puffed grains, pink flowers and brass vessels. About a dozen seated devotees in white clothes with red sashes sit on striped mats in the background, and a woman in an orange sari stands at the right edge.

A night fire ritual at an open-air ceremonial site. A large tiered yellow homa platform holds a tall flame, with red flower petals scattered around it. A man with long matted hair, orange-red cloth, a rudraksha mala and a large ceremonial beaded garland sits behind the fire with a small bowl and a cloth-wrapped object, wearing dark-rimmed glasses. Beside him a man in white dhoti and shawl sits with a pink-bordered cloth. To the right, a man in a white shawl smiles near a low table laden with silver bowls of flowers, coconut, banana, fruit, and green vegetables. A seated line of people in white garments and orange shawls watches in the dark, lit by a single bright lamp. Hindu homa and yagna offerings are visible.

A night-time homa fire ceremony in an open courtyard. A large wooden fire pit with a tiered, white-patterned base is ablaze, decorated with marigold flowers. A shirtless priest stands behind it, wearing a white dhoti and a long beaded necklace. Seated on a silver-edged platform to the right is a woman in a pink head wrap, a white sari with orange border and a long beaded garland, offering into the fire. Beside her a man in an orange shawl and orange-trimmed garland sits near brass vessels and offering bowls. Rows of seated devotees in white and saffron clothing fill a colourful striped mat behind them, and a dark deity murti stands in the background. Brass lamps and bowls rest on the foreground ground.

A night-time homa at an outdoor ritual pavilion. A large yellow-painted square fire pit with a bright flame sits in the foreground, decorated with white and purple floral markings and scattered flower petals. Behind it, a priest in an orange-red turban and orange cloth, wearing a rudraksha mala, sits cross-legged and feeds offerings into the fire from a bowl. Beside him, another ritual assistant in an orange turban and orange cloth tends the fire. Standing men in white dhotis with gold borders, some bare-chested and some wearing shawls, stand in the background. Brass lamps, a tray of flower petals, a covered brass vessel and small offering plates sit on a striped mat, along with a silver puja tray holding pink flowers and lit wicks. Gold decorative arches stand behind the group.

Night photograph of a homa fire ritual. A large blazing fire burns in a stepped white stone fire pit decorated with red and yellow flower petals. Several men in white dhotis sit around the pit; one at right, with shaved head and gold necklaces, presses his palms together in prayer. A standing priest in a white dhoti and sacred thread stands at the back. Brass plates hold offerings, a brass kalasha-style pot, oil lamps burn on the right beside a tray of fruit and flowers, and a decorated altar with red and green draperies is visible. Several people are seen from behind in the foreground.

2010-10-16 +1 copies

A night homa in progress at an outdoor ritual area. A central yellow-gold fire pit blazes with large flames. Behind it, a man in an orange turban and rudraksha mala sits cross-legged with hands joined above the fire. Around him, several shaved-headed priests in saffron-orange dhotis sit on striped mats, tending the fire and handling offering trays of sticks and flower petals. Standing behind them, men in white dhotis with gold borders and bare upper bodies hold their hands together in prayer. Gold ornamental arches, brass lamps and a pink flower-filled bowl are visible at the edges.

2017-09-17 +1 copies

A homa fire ritual at night in a courtyard. A central fire blazes in a brick fire pit, and a priest bare-chested in a white dhoti with a red turban pours offerings into it from a brass vessel. Around the pit are marigold garlands, bowls of fruit, apples, brass vessels and kalasha pots draped in cloth. Several men sit on mats in white dhotis and rudraksha malas, and one man in saffron clothing is at the right edge. A man in the foreground with his back to the camera wears a rudraksha mala. Floral decorations and fruit offerings cover the ground around the fire.

A fire ritual in progress: a large tiered brick altar with red, pink and green painted patterns and scattered rose petals holds a blazing fire with smoke rising. Two priests sit close to the fire; one in the centre wears a green cloth on his head and green waist cloth, and a rudraksha-style mala, pouring from a brass vessel. The second priest on the right is bare-chested with white dhoti, beaded necklace and white markings on his body. Behind them a seated crowd in white clothes with orange-red shawls and lanyards fills the hall. Brass bowls, flower garlands, fruit and an oil lamp lie on the floor to the right, indicating a homa or yagna.

July 19 2013

October 16 2010

2010-10-16 +1 copies

A photograph of a Rudra Homa fire ritual outdoors on green mats. A large fire burns on a stepped altar of yellow-painted bricks decorated with red flower petals. Two priests in white dhotis sit bare-chested at the fire; the front priest wears a yellow turban, a golden garland and a green-and-white sacred thread, and holds a ladle over the offerings. Behind them a seated crowd in white clothes and red-orange shawls watches; several participants fold their hands in prayer. To the right stands a decorated shrine with a golden figure and offering plates, and metal vessels of grains and fruit sit in the foreground.

A night-time photograph of a homa being performed at a square brick fire pit with a bright flame. Several priests sit around it in white dhoti and shawls, many wearing gold-toned beaded necklaces. One priest in the centre-right bends forward to pour offerings into the fire, while others hold brass plates of grains, herbs and chopped vegetables. Marigold and red flower petals are scattered on the stone platform. To the right stand brass lamps, a kalasha, red and white floral garlands, bowls of kumkum and a large decorated deity murti behind colourful drapery.

2010-10-16 +1 copies