December 25 2005 - Nithyanandapedia

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December 25 2005

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December 25 2005

Outdoor ritual on a grassy field under a canopy strung with colourful bunting. A central figure sits on an ornate brown throne wearing an orange-saffron garment, long dark hair and an orange-beaded necklace, with a person candidate cued by long hair, saffron clothing and ceremonial beads. Four attendants in white dhotis and shawls stand around him holding tall ornate red-and-gold umbrellas and a ceremonial staff, one holding a sword-like rod. In front, a brick-outlined square fire pit holds a mound of ash and a dark stone, with brass vessels and offerings on a tray near the throne. Several seated men in white stand or sit at the edges, and a green truck and parked cars appear behind, with hills in the background.

Outdoor ritual on grass under a canopy hung with colourful prayer flags. A central seated figure in orange robe with gold border, long dark hair and a beaded necklace performs arati with a flame lamp and a bell, with fruit and coconut halves before him. A small golden pyramidal object stands on a tray in the foreground. Two attendants in white dhoti and shawl hold ornate red and black parasols, and a third holds a silver staff. A standing attendant in white clothes holds a silver staff, and a seated devotee in white kneels with palms joined at left. Hills and trees are visible behind, with a green vehicle in the background.

Outdoor ritual on grass under a canopy with colourful pennant bunting. A long-haired figure in saffron-orange robes with a shawl sits on a mat, hands folded in prayer, before a brass kalasha, a silver trident-like staff and offerings of coconuts and flowers. Around the seated figure, several men in white dhotis and shawls hold ornate umbrellas and silver staffs, one with a trident raised. A green truck and hills stand in the background. The seated figure has long hair and saffron robes, a person cue, but the setting is a generic ceremony, so identity remains uncertain.

Outdoor ritual gathering under multicoloured bunting-fringed canopies on grass. A seated figure in orange-saffron robes with gold ornaments and a beaded necklace sits on a low wooden seat on a pink mat, with brass pots, a plate and offerings in front. Around them stand men in white dhotis and white shirts, several holding long poles or ceremonial staffs, and a large crowd of devotees in white sits in rows under the canopy. A low brick-lined fire pit with ash and stones lies in the foreground. The seated figure appears to be a presiding priest or teacher with distinctive saffron attire, though the appearance is not certain enough to confirm identity. A few tents and vehicles are visible behind the crowd.

A outdoor ritual at a construction site beside a grey block wall. A man seated on an ornate gold throne with a red cushioned seat and a multicoloured fringed canopy wears an orange-brown robe, a long rudraksha mala and has long hair; he sits with hands folded. Two bare-chested young men in orange dhotis sit cross-legged on a striped mat before a pit in the ground, one holding a brass lamp and a plate of offerings, the other with a rudraksha mala, ash-smeared. Around 15 standing men and women in orange, white and green garments, some with malas, watch with palms together. Brass vessels, flowers and a basket sit on the mat. Suggests a foundation or yagna pit ceremony; the throned figure is not clearly identifiable from appearance, so no identity is asserted.

Outdoor ceremony under a tent canopy with colourful triangular bunting on a grassy field. A long-haired seated figure in orange-saffron robes, with orange beads and a necklace, sits on a patterned cushioned seat on a pink cloth. Standing attendants in white dhotis and white kurtas flank them, one holding a tall ornate silver staff and another a ceremonial standard. Several umbrellas with red and gold patterns shade the seat. Offerings on the cloth include bananas, fruit, a brass lamp and a small brass kalasha-like vessel. A large crowd of devotees in white sits on the grass behind, with a microphone set up in front.

November 14 2005

October 06 2006

December 25 2005

Outdoor cremation-rite gathering on open grass in Tiruvannamalai. A woman in an orange sari stands at a bare red-earth ritual ground beside a stacked pile of firewood, under a canopy strung with multicoloured pennants. Rows of men in white dhotis and shirts sit on the grass facing her, with parked white vehicles behind them. At right, a man in an orange robe holds a white fan or whisk aloft while speaking. A small brass tray with flowers and lamps sits on a pink cloth in front of a seated man in white at lower right. The cremation rite setting appears clear, but no figure is identified as the a person.

Outdoor ritual on bare earth beside a grey block wall at a construction site. A golden throne with red cushions sits under a multicoloured fringed canopy. A figure seated on the throne, in orange robes with rudraksha beads, presses palms together. Two priests in orange kneel on a patterned mat before a small ritual setup with a plate, bowls, a flower arrangement and a basket. Standing devotees in white dhotis, a green sari and white shirts watch with hands folded. Mounded earth and a freshly dug trench fill the foreground.