Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A photograph of a seated priest in saffron-orange robes, shaved head and bare-armed, raising a lit oil lamp toward a gold-clad deity murti in a temple shrine. The murti is draped with garlands of yellow, red, green and white flowers, and small brass oil lamps and a brass bowl sit on the stone platform. Behind the figure, another gold-garlanded deity and a dark figurine stand against red-orange walls, with a lamp stand on the right. The priest's face is turned away, and the scene is lit warmly in the evening, consistent with aarti. Only the priest is a physical person; the other figures are statues.

More like this

Open the gallery
A shaven-headed priest in saffron-orange robes sits on a carved wooden seat in a temple hall, his back to the camera, and reaches toward a golden ritual vessel. Behind him a golden kalasha-shaped deity figure stands under a canopy garlanded with red, yellow and green flower chains. Brass oil lamps with lit flames stand on the floor, and a silver bowl and offering dishes sit on a stone platform in the foreground. A black stone deity murti stands at the right against a red wall. The scene suggests a puja or abhishekam in progress.2010-11-09A photograph of a shaved-headed man in saffron-orange robes seated cross-legged on a wooden chair, facing a golden deity murti decorated with a multicoloured flower garland of red, yellow and green. He holds a lit camphor flame toward the murti during aarti. Brass oil lamps stand on the ground and a silver bowl sits at the front; a dark figure of a seated deity with orange and white clothing appears in the background on the right, alongside white and red striped steps. Warm evening lighting with a copyright credit printed on the right.2010-11-09A photograph of a shaven-headed priest in saffron-orange robes seated on a carved wooden chair, raising a lit oil lamp toward a golden deity murti of a sacred animal mount draped in colourful garlands of yellow, red, white and green flowers. Brass oil lamps and a small brass bowl with offerings sit on a stone platform in front of a red-painted shrine wall, with a dark stone deity sculpture visible to the right. The scene suggests an evening puja with aarti.2010-11-09A photograph of a seated priest in saffron-orange robes performing a ritual before a richly decorated deity murti of a standing figure with a tall crown and trident, flanked by two smaller attendant figures, all adorned with a canopy of marigold and multicolored flower garlands. The priest sits on a low wooden seat, bending toward a white-draped altar with brass oil lamps, a silver bowl, flowers, fruit and offering bundles wrapped in orange cloth. A golden peacock vahana with jeweled ornamentation stands beside the deity, and an orange backdrop with a peacock emblem frames the scene.2010-11-09A photograph inside a temple at night showing a man seated on an ornate wooden seat, dressed in saffron-orange robes with a beaded necklace, shaved head, holding a lit lamp or camphor flame over a metal vessel as part of a ritual. Behind him, a deity murti is decorated with garlands of marigolds and green leaves, and a second richly adorned deity with a golden crown and garlands stands on the right beside a gold bull-shaped vahana. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha-style vessel, flower offerings and a square stone fire pit with ash sit in the foreground, and a wall sign in a non-Latin script hangs above. The atmosphere is that of an evening puja or homa.2010-11-09A photograph of a temple shrine during a ritual. A shaven-headed priest in orange robes and a gold chain sits cross-legged at the lower left, raising a lit lamp with his right hand toward a deity murti. The murti is a gold-coloured figure with crown and ornaments, set above a golden mount carved in the form of a bird-like vehicle, and is draped in garlands of yellow, green, red and white flowers. Two smaller figures flank it on the garland. Brass oil lamps, a kalasha-style bowl and brass ceremonial umbrellas stand around the platform. A dark orange cloth forms the backdrop, and a standing figure in white robes appears at the far right beside a striped stepped platform. This is a puja with aarti, with no clearly visible face identifiable as a person.2010-11-09A seated priest in saffron-orange robes with a shaved head performs an evening puja before a golden deity murti of a standing goddess draped in a garland of yellow, red, green and white flowers. He holds a lit oil lamp in one hand toward the image. Brass oil lamps stand beside a gold-and-brass altar, a gold pitcher and bowls sit on a stone basin in the foreground, and a black stone statue of a sage in orange cloth stands at right against a red and white stepped dais. Hanging saffron and gold cloths decorate the orange walls.2010-11-09A photograph of a temple shrine at night. A man in saffron-orange robes and bare upper body stands at left, bent forward and holding a flaming lamp or torch toward a gilded deity murti in front of a garlanded backdrop of red, yellow, white and green flower garlands. Brass oil lamps with flames stand on the floor, and a brass kalasha-like vessel sits near the base. Flower offerings lie at the foot of the murti, and a gold-coloured figure is visible to the far left and right. The scene suggests an evening puja or aarti at a temple shrine. The person's face is not visible and no identity is asserted.2010-11-09A shaved-headed priest in saffron-orange robes kneels at the lower left of a shrine, extending a hand toward a gilded deity murti mounted on a golden vahana with a rounded tail, seated before a richly decorated backdrop. The murti is framed by a long arch of marigold and multicoloured garlands in red, yellow, green and purple, with two smaller attendant figures flanking it. Brass oil lamps stand on the marble platform, and a brass kalasha-style ornament rises at each side. A second man in white stands in the background near the wall, and an attendant in white is visible at the far left edge.2010-11-09A seated priest in orange saffron robes and a shaved head performs a homa at a fire pit in front of a decorated deity murti. The murti is a golden peacock-like vahana figure with three deity figures above it, draped in garlands of yellow, red, green and white flowers on an orange backdrop. The priest holds a ladle over the fire, and a brass oil lamp burns nearby along with a silver bowl and flower offerings. Another man in white sits behind him at the left, and a brass pot and a large silver umbrella-like ceremonial stand flank the scene. Brass lamps sit on a red and white striped step. The priest appears to be officiating rather than being honoured on a throne, and no identification is made from his appearance.2010-11-09 +1 copiesA woman in saffron-orange robes stands at left holding a lit oil lamp (aarti) toward a decorated deity murti with gold crowns and garlands of yellow, purple and red flowers. The deities are seated under a gilded arch in a temple-like pavilion. In the foreground a small figure in orange and a white shawl with garlands sits beside ritual brass vessels, and a seated man in orange robes sits at the left edge. A brass lamp stand and kalasha-type vessels surround the altar. Some garland-decorated golden structure is placed before the murti.2009-12-30A night-time outdoor ritual at a temple-like courtyard. A man with a shaved head in a saffron-orange robe stands at left, holding a lit oil lamp (aarti) toward a golden deity murti decorated with a colourful flower garland and a multicoloured canopy overhead. Brass oil lamps stand on the floor, and a silver plate with offerings sits at the bottom. A pale-clothed attendant is visible in the background. The wall behind is terracotta-coloured with white steps. Aarti is being performed before the deity.2010-11-09