Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
Nighttime photo of a Chandi Homa ritual under a temporary open-sided pavilion. In the foreground a man in white dhoti with yellow-trimmed cloth and garland kneels beside a dark rectangular fire pit (homa kunda) with flower petals and brass vessels around it. A standing man in white cloth holds a brass aarti plate, and a man in saffron-orange robes stands beside him. At right, an older bearded man with white-marked body and reddish-saffron dhoti, holding a flower, stands by a cream-coloured seat. Behind them is a large illuminated goddess deity murti with a decorated silver-white frame, oil lamps, and a row of seated young devotees in white. Red bunting, string lights and colourful hanging cloth decorate the tent.

More like this

Open the gallery
October 16 20102010-10-16Night ritual inside a temple pavilion lit by oil lamps and strings of small lights. At left, a large deity murti with multiple arms, garlanded and seated on a lion, stands beside a white altar with a dark square basin and brass vessels. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a sacred thread kneels at the altar, pouring from a small vessel. Behind him, a man in white with a white turban holds a silver plate. An older sannyasi with white beard, white forehead markings, and reddish-brown cloth stands at right beside an empty cream armchair. A man in orange robes stands centre-right. Marigold petals cover the floor and bundles of sticks lie on a white cloth. Several other seated figures in white are in the background. Pandals and red and cream banners hang overhead.2010-10-16 +1 copiesA night-time photograph inside a temple-style tent of a Durga Chandi homa. On the left, a large ornate image of a goddess with many arms, dark hair and a garland, stands beside other deity murtis and decorated framing. In the centre, a bare-chested priest in white dhoti kneels on the platform beside a square fire pit with a small flame and brass vessels. A standing man in a white turban and white robe holds a silver plate, while a man in saffron robes stands at the right. A bearded figure with ash-marked body, long hair and a reddish-orange cloth stands at the far right, raising his hand. Several seated people in white sit behind the platform. Flower petals, a white throne-like chair and red and gold hangings fill the scene.2010-10-16Night ritual inside a temple hall decorated with a goddess murti in an elaborate silver and white arch, with painted deity images and red-and-gold hangings. A small white-clad boy sits at left, and a row of seated young boys in white garments watches. In the centre, a man in a white dhoti kneels at a white puja platform with brass bowls and flower petals. A standing man in an orange robe and a woman in a white sari hold a brass plate, while a bare-chested sadhu with white sandalwood markings and rudraksha malas holds a lit oil lamp aloft. Other standing figures wear saffron and white. Marigold petals, a small dark mat, and a bowl of offerings lie on the floor, and strings of coloured lights glow in the background; this appears to be an aarti during a festival.2010-10-16A night ritual scene in a temple-style pandal decorated with lights and hanging red and white bunting. On the left stands a large white-and-silver deity murti of a goddess with garlands, flanked by smaller figures and an oil lamp on a brass stand. In the centre a young man in white ritual dhoti and a white head-cloth raises a lit lamp. A man in a yellow dhoti bends low over a white marble homa or yagna pit, while boys in white sit near the deity. On the right a saffron-robed monk holds a silver plate of offerings and a bearded sadhu with white sacred markings on his forehead and arms, wearing a rudraksha mala and a rust-coloured cloth, stands beside a cream armchair. Flower petals and brass vessels lie on the floor.2010-10-16A night-time ritual in a decorated temple pavilion with a large goddess murti dressed in white and red, framed by an ornate silver arch and surrounded by smaller deity images and oil lamps. In the foreground a man in white ritual cloth sits cross-legged before a black square fire pit or yagna altar with brass vessels and marigold petals. A man in white with a turban holds a silver tray, while a standing man in a saffron-orange robe and a shaved-headed sadhu with white-painted markings and a bare upper body hold a flame, consistent with a homa or aarti. Several young boys in white sit on the left near the deity. Red and multicolored hangings and string lights decorate the background, and a cream armchair stands at right.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesA night-time puja inside a decorated temple pavilion, lit by string lights and a few oil lamps. On the left, a large deity murti with a white floral halo and garlands stands beside smaller figures. Four or five men are visible: a bearded man on the right in a red-orange cloth with white body markings and a sacred thread holds a yellow flower and offers a ritual gesture; a man in orange robes stands centre-right holding a silver plate; a man in a white dhoti with a white turban holds a plate with a flame; and a man kneels in white and yellow cloth, bent over a shallow white altar with brass vessels and flower petals. Brass lamps, a dark stone slab and bundles of sticks lie on the white cloth in front. A plain armchair sits to the right.2010-10-16A photograph of a night-time puja inside a decorated open pavilion. On the left, a large goddess murti with multiple arms and a red-and-gold garment stands behind a white-and-gold arch. In front, a man in white dhoti crouches at a white stone homa/yajna platform tending a fire pit, with brass vessels, a bowl and a small oil lamp nearby. Standing at the right, a man in a white shawl and orange cloth holds a silver tray with a kalasha-like offering, while a bearded man with white-painted forehead and arm markings in red-brown cloth holds a small plate. A red-and-gold peetha/throne sits behind them, with string lights and hanging red and yellow pennants. Several seated priests in white are at the back-left. Visible physical people: about six.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16Night-time ritual photograph inside a decorated hall with a large elaborate deity murti of a goddess with a crown, lion mount and silver halo at left, and small figures seated near it. A man in white dhoti with white ash on his body sits cross-legged before a black stone yajna or homa fire pit strewn with petals and flanked by brass vessels and oil lamps. Standing at right, a man in orange robe and a bare-chested man in red-brown dhoti with white markings hold their palms together in prayer near a throne-like seat. A bearded man in white with an orange turban stands holding a silver tray. Smoke rises and strings of lights glow in the background.2010-10-16A night-time ritual in a decorated open pavilion with a large clay deity murti of a goddess riding a lion, adorned with white and silver decorations and flower garlands, with brass oil lamps lit in front. On the left, a shaved-headed man in white dhoti sits cross-legged before a square fire pit or homa altar with flower petals scattered around it. Behind him, several seated people in white and a standing man in white with a turban hold trays and make gestures. On the right, two standing men in saffron and orange-red robes, one with a bare chest and white body markings, join palms in reverence beside an empty cushioned chair. Hanging red and green pennants, flower decorations and twinkling lights frame the scene, with smoke rising in the background.2010-10-16