Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A night-time puja at a pandal with a large multi-armed goddess murti in the background, decorated with white and blue backdrop, marigold garlands and a lit garland of lights. In the foreground, several young girls in red and maroon silk dresses sit on a purple cloth, holding flowers and fruit; one girl wears a black braid with a yellow hair clip. A shaven-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl with a red border stands at center, raising his hands in a mudra beside a carved wooden stool. A man in a white dhoti and white shirt sits at right holding a silver bowl, with a kumkum-marked brass vessel and offerings of fruit, a watermelon and oranges on trays at left. Brass lamps and bells stand on the orange floor, with bunting and tassels overhead. Several other white-clad men stand in the background.

More like this

Open the gallery
Night puja at an ashram pavilion decorated with string lights and paper garlands. On the left, a large Devi murti with a gold crown and a second deity figure stand behind a floral arch and a shiny brass pot. Five young girls in maroon and dark red silk outfits sit cross-legged on a purple cloth, holding flowers and offerings. A shaven-headed priest in a white dhoti and shawl with red border stands at the centre, making a hand gesture over a brass plate. Another man in white with yellow dhoti kneels at right holding a silver bowl. Fruit, a watermelon and oil lamps are arranged on trays, and a wooden peetha stands in front. Other white-clad people stand in the background.2010-10-16Night ritual in a temporary open pavilion with a deity murti of a goddess in red and gold, flanked by decorated figures and a lion mount, behind a fruit offering. A standing priest in white dhoti and shawl with rudraksha-style beads holds up a small offering while a seated attendant in white and yellow holds a silver bowl. Five young girls in maroon silk dresses with gold trim sit on a purple cloth, holding flowers. Brass lamps, a wooden seat, and bunting frame the scene.2010-10-16 +1 copiesA night puja scene under a decorated pandal. On the left, a large deity murti with a crown and red-and-gold garments stands beside a white-and-pink floral decorated figure and a lion-like vahana. Five girls in maroon and red silk pavadais sit on a purple cloth before fruits, flowers and brass lamps. A bald priest in white dhoti with a white shawl and beaded mala raises his hand in blessing, while another attendant in white kneels at right holding a bowl of white powder. A carved wooden drum-shaped stand and a peetha-like white-draped table sit in front. Red lights and bunting hang in the background, with more white-clad priests behind.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16Night outdoor ritual at a pandal decorated with a large deity murti of a goddess in red and pink with a crown, lion mount, and tall garlands. In the foreground several young women in red and orange saris sit on a purple cloth with fruit, bananas, a watermelon, and brass plates of offerings. On the right a man in white ceremonial clothes with a red-bordered shawl performs a homa or puja beside a large wooden drum and a tall smoking fire vessel, while others in white sit nearby and a crowd watches. A hanging kalasha-style ornament and bunting decorate the canopy, and a red throne-like seat stands in the background.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight photograph of a Navaratri-style puja at an ashram pandal decorated with large white and gold sculpted deity murtis, including a multi-armed goddess figure with a lion, an elephant-headed Ganesha in pink, and other standing deities garlanded in marigolds. Several women in red and maroon silk saris sit on the floor with pink lotus flowers in their hands, while a shaved-headed priest in white sits in front of a wooden stand with brass lamps, bowls and offerings. On the right, an ornate gold-and-red throne holds a seated figure in white, and a man in white with a gold chain sits beside it. Red string lights and oil lamps glow in the background.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight Navaratri puja at an ashram stage before a large decorated deity murti of the goddess Durga, shown with multiple arms holding weapons and a lion mount, framed by white floral arches and strings of green leaves. Several smaller deity figures stand on either side. A priest in white dhoti and shawl raises an arm toward the altar, another white-clad priest stands with a brass vessel, and a shaved-headed man in a yellow-trimmed white cloth sits cross-legged near the stage. Young girls in red and gold saris sit behind. Brass lamps, a silver kalasha-style vessel and flower petals are scattered on the white ritual cloth, and a seated man in a rust-coloured robe with white markings sits on a cream sofa at the right edge. Fairy lights glow in the background.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesNight-time ritual photograph in a temple hall decorated with a large white and blue deity backdrop of a goddess with multiple raised arms, plus a pink Ganesha figure with garlands at left. Several young women in red and orange saris sit cross-legged on a purple cloth, decorated with flowers in their laps. A man in white ritual dhoti with red borders, bare-shouldered, pours or offers from a metal vessel toward the seated women, while another priest in white stands behind. Brass lamps, a kalasha-style vessel, fruit on brass plates and a wooden drum-shaped stand sit on the orange floor cloth. Red fairy lights glow in the background. Ritual setting consistent with a chandi homa or puja, with a visible fire-free offering arrangement.2010-10-16