Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A bare-chested priest in a white dhoti with a gold-bordered waist cloth sits on a red floor covering, arranging a puja setup with brass vessels, a lit oil lamp, incense sticks, a bowl of mango leaves and red flowers, yellow and red powders, and a brass kalasha-style vessel with rose petals. He wears a white head cloth and rudraksha beads. Behind him, a red-turbaned framed portrait or cutout of a smiling figure in pink ornate clothing and a flower garland sits on a gold-and-red cushion against a red wall. A pink silk cloth and a rangoli-like pattern of coloured powders lie at right, and a wooden stick with red thread stands upright. This appears to be a devi puja ritual.

More like this

Open the gallery
A photograph of a priest seated cross-legged on a red cloth performing a puja with brass vessels, flowers, turmeric and kumkum bowls, and a small brass bell. He is bare-chested with white ash markings on his arms, wears a white turban and a white-and-yellow dhoti, and has a rudraksha mala around his neck. Behind him a framed printed portrait, with no legible caption, shows a smiling figure in a pink-and-orange turban wearing a garland of red and yellow flowers, seated on a gold-bordered cushion against a deep red backdrop. Nearby stand a pink silk cloth, a tray of rose petals and leaves, incense sticks in a brass holder, and a sieve-like basket of white powder.A shirtless priest in a white turban and white dhoti with a yellow border kneels on a red cloth, performing a puja with brass vessels, bowls of flowers, fruit, turmeric, kumkum and rice, and a lit oil lamp. He wears a rudraksha mala and white ash marks on his arms. Behind him, a cardboard-style cutout of a smiling figure in a red turban and pink garment sits on a red-and-gold throne draped with red and yellow flower garlands, in front of a red wall. Incense sticks stand in a brass holder, and a pink silk cloth lies to the right.A shaved-headed priest in a white dhoti with a gold border sits cross-legged on a red cloth, bare-chested with white ash markings on his arms and chest, wearing a white turban, multiple rudraksha malas and a gold chain. He holds a small ritual implement over a brass vessel and puja setup. Around him are brass bowls of turmeric, kumkum, rice, flowers, betel leaves, fruit and incense sticks, plus a brass lamp with a lit oil flame. Behind him stands a life-size cutout of a smiling figure in a red turban, garlanded with red, yellow and white flowers and wearing gold necklaces, set against a red velvet wall. A folded pink silk cloth rests on the right beside a kumkum and turmeric rangoli. The scene reads as a puja or homa setup.A seated priest in white dhoti with an orange-bordered cloth and a white turban performs a puja on a red cloth floor. He wears a dark rudraksha mala with gold beads and a garland of marigolds and red flowers, and his bare upper body shows white ash markings on the arms. Before him are brass plates of fruit, limes, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, a lit oil lamp, a brass kalasha, a bell, and a pink silk cloth on a rangoli-decorated tray. Behind him is a cardboard cutout portrait of a smiling figure in a pink turban, pink garment and garland, seated on a chair against a red backdrop, with an orange patterned textile hanging at the right edge.A photograph of a seated priest in white dhoti and white turban performing a puja on a red cloth. He is bare-chested with rudraksha malas and white sacred markings on his arms, hands pressed together in anjali. Around him are brass bowls of kumkum, turmeric, rice, flowers, leaves and fruit, a brass lamp, a bell, a kalasha-style vessel and a pink silk cloth. Behind him stands a cutout portrait of a smiling figure in a pink turban and pink garland, labelled as a portrait rather than a live person. The setting is a red-draped room suited to a devi puja and homa offering.A seated priest in a white dhoti with a gold-bordered cloth and a white turban performs a puja on a red cloth. He wears a dark rudraksha mala and bare-chested, with white markings on his arm and shoulder, and handles a brass vessel among brass plates, bowls of green leaves, limes, flowers and offerings. Behind him stands a life-size cutout of a smiling woman in a pink sari and red turban, garlanded with red and yellow flowers, labelled with no readable text. A lit oil lamp sits at lower right beside shells and a small brass shrine piece.A photograph of a ritual puja set up on a red cloth floor against a deep red backdrop. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a gold border and a yellow head cloth kneels at the front, tending a brass vessel and offerings. Brass plates hold banana leaves with rice, sweets, and fruit, alongside small brass bowls, a brass kalasha, and oil lamps. Marigold garlands hang on brass pots, and incense sticks stand in the foreground. Behind him a second person in pink clothing and a red head wrap, wearing a marigold garland, sits smiling on a low platform. An orange and multicolour painted cloth hangs on the right. Ritual setup consistent with an abhishekam or puja.A photograph of a ritual puja on a red cloth. A bare-chested priest in white dhoti with a yellow head cloth and rudraksha mala sits at left, lighting an oil lamp and offering from a brass plate of food, fruit, flowers and banana-leaf offerings. Behind, a woman in a pink and red sari with a marigold and red flower garland sits on a yellow cloth, hands raised in greeting. Brass vessels, a kalasha pot, a blue cloth and decorated poles stand nearby.A photograph of a puja set up on a red cloth. In the left foreground a bare-chested man with a yellow turban and white dhoti sits cross-legged and reaches over brass plates of food on banana leaves, with yellow and white offerings, brass lamps, a small brass pot and red flower petals in a bowl. Behind him a figure with a red garland sits against a deep red wall, and on the right stand a kalasha-style pot, marigold garlands, a folded pink cloth and a saffron embroidered hanging.A photograph of a ritual worship setup on a red cloth. A bare-chested man in white dhoti with gold border and a yellow turban kneels at the centre, reaching toward brass vessels, a kalasha, and small bowls of offerings. Marigold garlands hang on a pink-draped object at right, and orange and blue cloth with floral embroidery hangs behind. Plates of food, banana leaves, bowls of kumkum and vibhuti, and incense sticks surround the altar. Behind at left, a portrait of a smiling woman in a red turban and marigold garland sits with hands raised. No deity iconography is clearly visible.A photograph of a seated priest in white dhoti with a gold border, bare-chested and wearing a pale peach turban and a dark rudraksha mala, performing a puja on a red cloth. Before him are brass bowls of flowers and petals, small clay dishes of yellow powder and red kumkum, a bowl of green leaves, and an incense holder with sticks. Behind is a tall bundle of orange cloth draped against gold curtains, presumably a sacred offering. The priest is seated cross-legged with his back turned to the camera.A seated priest with a bare chest and an orange-and-cream headcloth sits on a red floor cloth in front of a decorated altar and presses his palms together in prayer. He wears white dhoti with a gold border and a beaded necklace, with white ash markings on his chest and arms. Before him are brass plates and bowls of coloured powders, grains, flowers, sweets, leaf offerings and kumkum, along with a small oil lamp, a kalasha-style pot and incense sticks. Behind him a large framed portrait of a seated figure with a garland of red and yellow flowers rests on a throne, beside an orange and yellow embroidered cloth backdrop. This is a photograph of a devi ritual setup with offerings arranged for worship.