Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A dim temple hall lit by oil lamps and a string of red lights. A standing figure in a saffron-orange turban, white shawl and white dhoti, with a dark beaded mala at the neck, holds a silver plate and raises a hand in blessing. In front of him a man in white clothes and a maroon undershirt kneels with his head bowed. Behind them, painted deity murtis in gold and red stand on the altar, with a brass oil lamp burning and offering trays set on the floor. The floor is covered with a white cloth edged in orange. The scene suggests a puja or aarti being performed, and the plate may hold offerings.

More like this

Open the gallery
October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesA night-time photograph inside a temporary pandal decorated with leafy garlands, red and white streamers, and a corrugated roof. A man in white dhoti and white head-wrap with gold armband and gold beaded necklace leans forward holding a silver tray. Beside him a sannyasi in saffron-orange cloth with white tripundra marks and a long white beard receives it, while a younger man in orange cloth stands behind. At lower centre a seated devotee in white bends toward a flower-strewn altar. Painted clay deity murtis with garlands and a kalasha-style decoration appear at left, and string lights glow in the background.2010-10-16Night photograph inside a temple-style pavilion with a dark wooden roof and hanging leaf garlands. A man in white dhoti and white shawl with a gold armlet and gold beaded necklace leans forward to take a silver tray from an elderly sannyasi in orange-red robes with white ash markings, long white beard and rudraksha mala. Another person in orange robes stands behind, and a figure in white crouches at the lower edge. Behind them are decorated deity figures, white flower arrangements and red lights.2010-10-16Dim temple interior during a fire ritual. A standing priest in white dhoti and shawl with a gold chain holds an object over a dark stone platform where smoke rises. Behind him, another priest in white stands near a garlanded deity murti and multiple statues under an ornate canopy, with string lights along the walls. In the foreground, a seated man in white dhoti and shawl wears a gold mala, glasses and a bare upper body, extending his hand over the platform. Brass bowls, a small oil lamp and scattered flower petals sit on the white step. The scene suggests a homa or puja, with the figures in ritual white clothing.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +1 copiesA 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.2010-10-16October 16 20102010-10-16 +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 outdoor homa at a brick fire pit, with flames rising from the square pit lined with flower petals. A figure in a white dhoti and a cream turban with a red tilak, wearing gold necklaces and gold armlets, stands at the pit pouring an offering from a brass vessel. Behind, a shaved-headed priest in white holds a silver pot, and other white-clad men stand with hands in anjali. A carved wooden drum-like disc and decorated festoons with a painted banner hang in the background. Seated onlookers in white and yellow watch from the left, and a figure in the foreground shows only the back of his shaved head and gold necklace.2010-10-16 +1 copiesOctober 16 20102010-10-16A homa ritual is performed before a shrine decorated with deity murtis under a fringed canopy and string lights. Smoke rises from a square fire pit on a white base strewn with flower petals. A man in white dhoti and gold necklace sits cross-legged at right, extending his hand toward the fire, with a brass bowl beside him. A standing priest at left, wearing a white dhoti and holding a silver plate, offers materials into the fire. Other white-clad priests stand behind, and brass lamps and a kalasha sit near the shrine.2010-10-16