August 09 2015 - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

August 09 2015

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August 09 2015

January 12 2015

A homa fire burns inside a brick fire pit on a floor covered with striped cloth, surrounded by flower garlands in pink and yellow and small brass bowls and vessels. Four men sit around the fire. The central man wears a purple turban, bare-torso with white ash markings and a gold necklace, and a saffron-orange shawl, holding a steel bowl. Behind him, two men wear white dhotis and white marks, with garlands, and one wears glasses. A decorated offering table on the right holds pomegranates, flowers and a rangoli-style design. The scene is at an open-air red-walled courtyard. No clear a person candidate is distinguishable by appearance.

A photograph of a puja ceremony seated on the ground. In the centre, a shaven-headed man in orange robes with rudraksha malas and beaded armlets sits before a flower-covered platform decorated with yellow and white garlands, red roses and small metal deity figures. He holds an incense stick above a brass tray holding oil lamps, brass bowls, a small kettle and a lit wick. Bananas, red and yellow flowers and leaves lie on a striped cloth in the foreground. Behind him, another orange-clad sannyasi sits with folded hands. On the right, a woman in orange robes with a beaded necklace and a white ornament in her hair sits with a bowl. Smoke rises from the incense on the flower platform.

Ritual scene at a temple: a young man in a rust-orange cloth with a dark turban-style headwrap, a long beaded necklace and rudraksha-style malas, sits on a stone floor arranging flowers and fruit onto a brass plate of pink petals. Beside him, an older bare-chested priest in a white dhoti and shawl with a white sacred thread and forehead markings chants over a tray. Coconuts with white flower garlands sit in painted pots, with lemons and oranges on green leaves, and sanctified items lie on a purple cloth.

2018-04-29 +1 copies

April 14 2018

A homa fire ritual in a temple hall decorated with yellow and red umbrellas, colourful pillars and framed portraits. Around a brick fire pit, a group of bare-chested priests in white dhotis wear gold beaded necklaces and red or purple cloth. One pours ghee into a flame from a metal bowl, others hold ladles and sit before trays of flowers, sweets and offerings, with marigold garlands and brass vessels. Partially visible devotees sit at the edges and a cameraman with a tripod films the scene.

A ceremonial ritual inside a temple hall with an orange-red mat covering the floor. Several men in white dhotis and purple-bordered shawls sit cross-legged, many wearing rudraksha malas. Brass vessels, kalasha pots, trays of grains, pulses, fruit and betel leaves are arranged in front of them. A decorated palanquin-like shrine with marigold garlands and flower arrangements stands behind them. Women in white and red saris sit to the right. Golden umbrellas hang overhead, and a camera operator films from the back. Many white-clad devotees sit in rows in the background.

April 29 2018

Outdoor ritual on a tiled courtyard before red-painted buildings and palm trees. Three men in white dhotis sit on mats around a spread of banana-leaf offerings: plantains, coconut halves wrapped in white flowers, small brass vessels, red and orange cloth-wrapped books, and heaps of rice. The seated man on the right wears an orange cloth over his shoulder, a rudraksha mala, and a gold chain, and gestures over the offerings. The younger man beside him wears a pink-and-white flower garland. A third priest on the left has a gold ring and lifts a hand. A large silver-covered box, a gold-framed panel, marigold garlands, a brass oil lamp and a yellow-flowered arrangement complete the abhishekam-style puja setup.

A photograph of a seated puja ceremony in a hall. In the foreground a young shaved-headed priest in an orange-brown dhoti and saffron shawl, with rudraksha mala and gold chain, sits cross-legged with hands cupped over a brass plate of leaves and offerings on a low marble stand. Behind him older priests, some bare-chested with white sacred ash markings and rudraksha malas, sit on mats with brass vessels, lamps and kalasha-style pots. Other devotees sit in the background.

Outdoor homa ritual at an ashram courtyard. A tiered white fire altar decorated with yellow marigolds and red flowers holds a lively fire burning in a square pit. Several priests sit cross-legged around it: the central one has a blue-green head wrap, bare chest, rudraksha mala and white dhoti, while others wear white or yellow cloths and one holds a microphone. Fruits, flower plates and brass vessels sit on the floor. To the right, a deity or decorated figure is framed by orange cloth and long garlands of red and white flowers. Orange-roofed buildings and seated devotees in white and red shawls appear in the background.