November 14 2010 - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

November 14 2010

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A photograph of a ritual scene in which a seated priest wearing saffron-orange robes with maroon borders and a rudraksha mala around his neck pours or arranges offerings over a brass plate. An open ritual book lies on the floor beside him, with small brass lamps, bells, a bowl of flowers and kumkum/vibhuti on a red cloth. Several other robed participants sit around him in white and orange clothing, some with white marks on their arms, and their hands are folded in prayer. Plastic and metal bowls of water and rice sit among the brass vessels, indicating a puja or padapuja offering. The priest is absorbed in the task, his head bowed toward the plate.

A photograph of a seated puja in progress. Four men in saffron-orange dhotis and shawls with red borders sit on orange mats, holding small brass bowls and offering vessels; the foremost man wears a long rudraksha mala and gold necklace, and another wears a gold chain and bracelets. Behind them, several men in white dhotis and shawls, one with a purple head covering, sit and hold similar vessels. Brass lamps, brass kalasha-style vessels, flower petals and a thali with offerings lie on the orange cloths in front. A small open book rests on the floor. The scene reads as a pada puja gathering.

A photograph of a seated puja in an indoor hall. In the foreground a shaved-headed man in saffron-orange robes with a white tripundra mark on his forehead and rudraksha beads around his neck sits cross-legged and pours or lifts a small brass vessel over a brass tray of offerings. Brass lamps, small brass pots, yellow flowers and red powder sit on a white cloth before him. Behind him, men in white dhotis and white shirts with rudraksha malas sit on orange mats, and another saffron-robed man sits at the right beside an open notebook and a phone. Lit oil lamps and incense sticks appear in the scene, a ritual gathering of priests and devotees.

October 26 2010

A seated man in saffron-orange robes with a maroon border sits on an orange cloth during a puja. He wears a rudraksha mala and a pendant, holds a brass lamp in one hand and a small bell-like brass vessel in the other. Behind him, people in white dhotis with red borders sit on mats, one raising a lit oil lamp. Brass plates with offerings, a brass kalasha, a conch shell and a small pink container sit on the cloth in front.

A photograph of a shaven-headed man in saffron-orange robes with maroon borders sitting cross-legged on an orange mat on a white marble floor, performing a ritual. He holds an open notebook in one hand and a small brass bell in the other, with a brass plate of grains and offerings, brass cups, and small brass lamps arranged before him. A rudraksha mala hangs around his neck and his arms bear white ash markings. Behind him, two men in white dhotis with maroon borders sit with folded hands. A plastic container and a mobile phone sit on the floor nearby, and a tripod leg is visible at the left.

A photograph of orange-robed priests seated on the floor in a hall during a ritual. In the foreground, three men in saffron and maroon-bordered orange garments sit on orange cloths. The man on the left, bare-shouldered and with his hands pressed together, sits beside a brass plate. The central man wears a rudraksha mala and a bindi and handles small items over brass plates and cups. The man on the right wears glasses and a mala, holds a paper and phone, and has his head shaved. Behind them, men in white dhotis with tilak sit at similar small brass arrangements. Brass lamps, bowls, a small bell and white flowers are arranged on red and orange cloths, and a book lies on the floor.

A photograph of a group puja in a hall with a white floor. Several men in saffron-orange robes with red borders sit cross-legged on orange cloth, many wearing gold-bead and rudraksha necklaces. In the foreground a bearded man in orange holds a small brass bell and a ritual implement over brass plates of flowers, turmeric and kumkum. Beside him a younger man with a shaved head and white sandalwood marks on his chest and arms holds a lit oil lamp. Behind them men in white dhotis hold brass lamps and bells, and open books lie on the floor. Brass pots and offering plates fill the foreground.

Photograph of two shaved-headed priests in white dhoti and shawls with gold borders seated cross-legged on the floor during a puja. The foreground priest wears a rudraksha mala and a wristwatch and reaches toward a brass bell, a brass lamp and small brass plates of yellow flowers, a white cloth and offerings laid on an orange cloth. A second priest behind him, partly visible, also tends the ritual items. A lit oil lamp sits on a patterned mat, and a red-and-white cloth lies in the background. Visible persons are priests, not a person.

A seated man in orange saffron robes holds an open notebook in one hand and a brass bell in the other, with a brass oil lamp (kuthu vilakku) at his side. He wears a gold bead necklace with a pendant, a white horizontal vibhuti stripe on his forehead, and a bangle on his wrist. Before him on an orange cloth are brass plates with flowers, fruit, a red cloth bundle, a small oil lamp and a cup. Behind him, devotees in white dhotis with red-bordered shawls sit on orange mats beside brass vessels and lamps, with a plastic container of white material in front. A camera tripod stands at left. The setting is a bright indoor hall.

A seated priest in an orange-saffron robe with a rudraksha mala and a small pendant holds a brass cup and a handbell during a ritual on an orange mat. Brass plates with flowers and small brass vessels surround him. Behind him, several men in white dhotis and shawls with red and gold borders sit and perform ritual actions, one holding a brass bell, with a book open on the floor. Plastic containers and a phone rest in the foreground.

A seated group ritual in an ashram hall. Two monks in saffron-orange robes with red borders and rudraksha malas sit cross-legged on a mat in the foreground. The man on the left, with a grey beard and glasses, holds a small brass lamp with a lit flame; the younger monk on the right, with a shaved head and white tilak marks, holds a lit oil lamp and a brass vessel. Behind them, men in white dhotis and shawls with red borders hold lit lamps. Brass plates with flowers, fruit, rice and kumkum sit on the mat in front, along with a open book. Tripods and equipment are visible at the top left. This is a puja with oil lamps, and the presence of the lamps and offerings suggests an arati or padapuja-style rite.