2008 - Nithyananda University - Udal and Kattumurthy Courses - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

2008 - Nithyananda University - Udal and Kattumurthy Courses

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Two men stand on a red-carpeted platform beside a golden deity murti decorated with multicoloured flower garlands in yellow, red, green and white. The taller man in a white shirt and grey trousers stands with hands near the deity; a man in a pale green shirt bends forward, reaching toward a metal plate of offerings. Gilded arch with a golden crown finial frames the central murti, with smaller decorated murtis flanking it, draped with garlands and gold necklaces. Corrugated metal roof and bamboo rafters overhead, with banana leaves and blue-and-white banners behind.

Night-time photograph of a decorated processional deity murti on a golden ornate palanquin-style frame, draped with white, red, yellow and green flower garlands. The central murti wears a tall crown, jewelled necklace and a red-and-green cloth. A man in a white shirt leans over the frame adjusting the decoration. At right, a man with long dark hair wears an orange-saffron top and orange dhoti-style wrap and holds a folded white paper, looking toward the murti. The background is dark, lit by the scene's ambient light.

A temporary thatched and corrugated-roof pandal with bamboo rafters holds a deity murti decorated with a gold crown, gold necklaces and thick garlands of red, yellow, white and multicoloured flowers. A man in a cream shirt and pale trousers bends forward with his hands at the murti's chest, apparently offering or adorning it. To the right, a man in a white shirt and light trousers holds a flat wooden tray and watches. Gold-framed panels and a line of blue-and-white banners with printed text sit behind the figures, and a vertical bundle of green fibre hangs at right.

July 16 2006

Photograph inside a temple shrine showing a deity murti decorated with garlands of red roses, white flowers, yellow and purple blooms, framed by a gold arch and yellow fabric canopy with orange-and-green pillars. A man in a white shirt and white dhoti stands at left with arms folded, watching. A man in a light pink shirt and dark jeans stands at right, raising a long garland to hang on the shrine. Another person in beige clothing is partly visible at the far right edge. The deity is adorned with gold ornaments and an orange cloth draped below.

A photograph of a decorated Kattumurthy, a ceremonial wooden-framed figure wrapped in rich red and magenta cloth with a gold-embroidered border and a gold headdress. The figure is encircled by thick garlands of green, white, yellow and red flowers, and gold-toned metal fittings are attached at the shoulders and arms. In the foreground a person in a pale blue shirt stands at left and a person in white clothing with an orange cloth stands at right, with bamboo poles and a broom against a plain weathered wall.

January 01 2013

2013-01-01 +1 copies

A photograph of a temple ritual at night beneath a canopy of colourful tassels in yellow, pink and green. A shaved-headed priest in an orange-saffron robe and a beaded necklace stands at left, one hand resting on a tall golden trident-like staff that rises beside a richly garlanded deity murti. The murti is draped with a saffron cloth and flower garlands in red, white, pink and purple, with a gold crown-like finial and gold jewellery. Gold and brass ritual vessels, a red-cushioned seat and a green silk cloth lie in the foreground. A person in a white shirt is partly visible at right, looking toward the murti. The priest matches ordinary ritual attire rather than a clearly recognisable appearance, so no identity is asserted.

A golden murti of a seated goddess with a crown and orange-red sari with yellow lower garment, wearing jewelry and bangles, sits on an ornate peetha decorated with thick garlands of yellow, red, purple and green flowers. A person in an orange-red garment stands behind the murti, reaching toward it and holding it, while a man in white dhoti and a gold necklace on the left holds a vessel toward the murti. A brass lamp stand stands in the foreground beside the murti, and an ornate gold-framed arch surrounds the shrine.

Photograph of a temple-style pavilion with a corrugated and bamboo roof. Two men in white shirts and light trousers, barefoot, stand on a red carpet adjusting garlands on a row of decorated deity figures. The large figure on the right is a gilded murti or idol dressed in red, yellow, green and white garlands with gold ornaments and a gold crown. Banana leaves, ceremonial umbrellas and white flower strings frame the scene. The setting suggests a Tamil Nadu ritual event with garlanded murtis.

A photograph of a temple deity murti decorated with dense garlands of yellow marigold, red flowers, white jasmine and green leaves. A bare-backed priest in an orange shawl and a green and yellow silk dhoti stands at left, arranging the garlands on the deity. The deity wears a red sari, gold jewellery and a gold crown. Only the priest's back and arm are visible; no face of a living person is shown.

Photo of sannyasis at a workshop in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, learning to tie a kattumurthy, a decorated wooden frame draped in red cloth and wrapped with yellow and green marigold garlands and brass fittings. Two men in white shirts and orange shawls, one wearing a rudraksha mala, guide the work with their hands while a person with shoulder-length dark hair in a white top leans in to adjust the garlands. Other hands and a yellow cloth appear at the right edge, with a broom and tools against a plain whitewashed wall.