Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A temple ritual scene in front of a colourful deity murti backdrop with garlanded figures and red fairy lights above. Four boys in white ritual dhotis and shawls sit cross-legged on a purple cloth-covered platform with orange fabric, holding red fruit and incense. In the foreground a man in white dhoti with maroon and yellow borders lies prostrate face down on the platform, in a devotional posture. Brass lamps, a tray of red and green fruit, marigold petals and vibhuti dishes surround them.

More like this

Open the gallery
October 16 20102010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16Night photograph of a Chandi Homa ritual under a temporary pandal. On the left, a large decorated deity murti of Durga with a lion and a figure of Ganesha stand on a white and gold altar draped with garlands. In the centre, a priest in white dhoti lies stretched out on an orange-draped platform beside a copper-brown vessel with a golden crown-shaped top, with offerings of fruit, flowers and brass plates before him. Several young boys in white dhotis sit on the platform and mats, and a standing priest in white attends the fire, where smoke rises. Devotees sit in rows in the foreground on the right, watching. Strings of lights and garlands decorate the tent.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16Night ritual scene at a temple shrine lit by warm light. On the left, a large deity murti in red and gold with a crown and multiple arms stands beside a figure in white and pink, with a garland on her shoulder. On the orange-draped platform, several boys in white dhotis and shawls sit cross-legged, one holding a conch-like object while others chant or assist. A man lies prone on the platform at the front, legs extended, wearing white with a red-bordered cloth. Brass plates hold fruit, flowers, rice and offerings, with a kalasha and lamps nearby. Behind the platform, a homa or yagna fire pit emits smoke, and a few seated priests in white attend the ritual. Coloured string lights and hanging decorations fill the background, with a small crowd of onlookers visible at the right edge.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16Night-time ritual at an outdoor pandal decorated with orange and yellow hangings and small fairy lights. Several young men in white dhotis with red-and-white borders kneel and bow on an orange-draped platform before a large clay-and-wood kalasha or pot set on a stand. Behind them a ceremonial deity murti with a red, gold and blue ornate backdrop stands among flower garlands and fruit offerings, with a Ganesha figure at left. Brass plates with flowers, fruit, betel leaves and grains sit on the platform. A man in white and gold stands at right with a long-handled ladle near the vessel. A crowd of devotees watches from the dark background, and a photographer's camera is visible at the left edge. Smoke rises from the ritual area, consistent with a puja or homa.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16Night photograph of a homa or yagna ritual on an orange-draped raised platform with white-and-maroon striped edging. A priest in white dhoti with a maroon-bordered cloth kneels at the right beside a wooden yoga-style seat with a golden crown-shaped top, while another man in white lies prostrate in the foreground. Several young boys in white dhotis sit on purple cloth at left, one playing a small instrument. Brass plates hold fruit, flowers, rice and vessels, and a fire pit smokes in the centre. Behind, an elaborately decorated deity murti of the goddess with multiple arms, red and gold garments and a lion vahana is lit with string lights, with a crowd seated in the background.2010-10-16Night-time puja on an orange-draped raised platform in front of a large deity murti with a decorated face and multiple arms, lit by strings of red lights. A shaved-headed young priest in white dhoti and shawl with red borders kneels in the foreground. Other white-clad boys and young men sit on the platform among fruit, flowers, brass plates and a kalasha, with a dark wooden peetha or throne behind them. A man in white with a gold necklace sits at the right edge. Hanging decorations and green leaves fill the upper frame, and the seated audience is at the right.2010-10-16Night photo at an outdoor Navaratri puja. In the foreground a man in white dhoti and shawl lies prostrate face-down on an orange cloth mat in full obeisance. Beside him a brass plate holds red apples. Behind, four women in deep maroon and red saris with gold borders sit on a mat holding flowers and fruit; one smiles and another wears a white-and-gold dupatta. Standing white-clad devotees, some with rudraksha malas, watch along the left side. On the right, a deity murti with a decorated golden backdrop and small ganesha figures is lit by string lights overhead. The prostrate man is a devotee, and no figure visibly matches the a person appearance cues.2010-10-16A night-time ritual scene at a temple decorated for a festival. In the foreground a woman in a maroon and rust sari sits on an orange-draped platform holding a round fruit in both hands, while a row of women in saris sits behind her in a similar seated posture. Near the centre a man in white dhoti and cloth with maroon borders lies prostrate on the orange platform. Nearby stand bowls of mangoes, red fruit, flowers, brass lamps and a kalasha-like vessel. Behind them a large deity murti with multiple arms and a decorated figure stand within an elaborately decorated alcove, with strings of fairy lights glowing in the background.2010-10-16 +1 copies