Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A festival shrine scene photographed indoors under a canopy of gold carved woodwork with orange and gold drapes and colourful striped bunting. At centre stands a decorated deity murti in a gold and red setting with flanking figures and flower arrangements, and two tall palm-leaf stalks frame the image. Four men stand around the shrine: at left a bearded man in white dhoti and white turban with a beaded necklace and hands folded; next, a man in a red turban and multicoloured shawl seated on a chair; then two bare-chested men in white dhotis with gold borders and white turbans, hands folded in namaskar, one wearing a rudraksha mala. A gold-and-brown palanquin or seat occupies the foreground. The arrangement suggests a navaratri alankaram display of the deity.

More like this

Open the gallery
A festive shrine scene at night with a golden ornate canopy draped in orange and multicoloured garlands, with palm-leaf decorations on the pillars. Three men stand before a deity murti decorated for alankaram, with a red-and-gold kalasha and offerings in front. The man on the left wears a white turban, white dhoti and rudraksha mala and joins his palms. The man in the centre wears a white turban, white dhoti with gold border, and a rudraksha mala, with palms joined. The man on the right wears spectacles, a white turban, a white dhoti with gold border and a gold necklace, with palms joined in greeting. A fourth figure in a red turban and white garland-draped clothing sits to the right near a golden seat. A deity murti is adorned with a golden crown and garlands, and a red-cloth covered table holds offerings.Photograph of a devi alankaram ritual in a decorated temple pavilion. Four bare-chested men in white dhotis with gold borders stand before a shrine, hands folded in anjali. The man on the far left wears a white turban and rudraksha mala, the man second from left a white turban and mala, the man on the right a white head wrap and mala. A man on the right side wears a red turban, a striped multicolour shawl and a rudraksha mala. Behind them is a golden deity murti adorned with garlands, flanked by an ornate gold throne, banana-leaf style pillars, and colourful striped bunting with floral and elephant painted columns.A photograph of a devi darshan homa at a temple shrine. In the centre, a fire burns over a homa pit with a kalasha or offering covered in red and white cloth, garlanded with white flowers and green leaves. Behind, a large ornate deity murti of a goddess sits within a golden arched shrine decorated with colourful striped and floral garlands, with flanking figures and a garland-draped stand. Two priests in white dhoti with gold borders stand with hands folded in anjali; one on the left holds a ritual object, and another priest on the right wears a white dhoti, bare upper body and rudraksha mala. Palm-leaf toran decorations frame the scene, and a decorated pillar with floral and elephant motifs stands at the right edge. Three people are visible.A photograph inside a temple shrine during a devi puja. Three bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold borders stand around a central fire, the middle priest holding a lit lamp, the right priest with palms joined in namaskar. The left priest wears a yellow-orange turban and rudraksha-style beaded necklaces. Behind the fire is a gilded deity murti of a goddess decorated with red and green garlands, flanked by smaller figures and brass kalashas with offerings. Tall palm fronds frame the scene, and a red and gold throne with garlands sits to the right.A temple shrine scene during a ritual. Three bare-chested men in white dhotis stand before a decorated deity murti in a golden shrine canopy, with garlands of marigolds and a multicoloured floral backdrop. The man at left, wearing a white turban and rudraksha-style beads, holds an object over offerings; the central man in a yellow turban and garland stands with hands folded; the man at right, in a white turban with a striped band and beaded garland, presses his palms together in anjali. Tall green palm-leaf stalks flank the shrine, and in front are trays of fruit, a yellow cloth, brass lamps and a kalasha-like vessel, consistent with a puja or homa setting.A photograph of a night-time Navaratri devi puja inside a temple hall. Three bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold borders stand around a decorated altar: the man on the left in a yellow turban holds a small brass bell or vessel, the priest in the centre holds a lit oil lamp, and the man on the right in a white turban stands with palms pressed together. A raised golden canopy hangs with striped festoon drapes above three deity murti decorated with marigold and multicolour garlands, flanked by a golden throne. In front, a fire pit with flames sits beside a kalasha-like offering covered in red and gold cloth and a white flower garland, with palm-leaf stalks framing the scene.A photograph of a temple puja inside a decorated shrine. Two bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold-bordered edges and white head cloths stand at a fire pit; the priest on the right, wearing a gold-trimmed turban and a white beaded garland, holds a brass plate of offerings. Behind them, colourful tiered deity murtis with gold crowns and garlands of marigolds and red flowers are set on a red cloth-covered platform. Palm fronds frame the scene, and a purple cloth-wrapped object garlanded with white flowers and green leaves lies on a yellow cloth in the foreground. Painted red, yellow and white pillars, a gold throne and brass lamps surround the space.A photograph of a ritual inside a decorated temple hall. Three men in white dhotis with gold borders stand at left and centre; the two at left are bare-chested, one holding a woven basket and one wearing a red-and-yellow turban, and the centre man, also bare-chested, holds a lit lamp aloft. Behind them stands a deity murti under a golden arch, garlanded with flowers and framed by yellow and rainbow-striped drapery. In the foreground a fire pit with burning flame is decorated with white flowers and offerings. At right, a seated figure in a red turban wears a long garland of rainbow-coloured and white flowers on an ornate gold throne, with a tall palm-leaf arch framing the scene.Three men in traditional South Indian ritual dress stand side by side with palms pressed together in anjali before a homa fire burning on a stone altar. The man on the left wears a yellow turban, a black rudraksha mala, gold necklaces and a white dhoti with yellow border. The man in the centre wears a white and yellow turban, a brown rudraksha mala and a white dhoti with yellow border, bare-chested. The man on the right wears a white turban with yellow stripes, gold chains, glasses and a white dhoti. Behind the fire, a decorated deity murti sits on a red throne under a golden canopy framed by palm fronds, marigold garlands and colourful striped drapes. +1 copiesA temple ritual at KAILASA Hyderabad during Navaratri. At the centre, a decorated deity murti of a goddess sits in a golden canopy framed by palm-leaf stalks, with garlands and a red-and-green draped backdrop. In front, a small fire pit burns with a flower-garlanded offering on a red cloth. Four men in white dhotis stand around it: at left, a bare-chested priest with a yellow turban and folded hands; a second bare-chested man with a white turban and rudraksha mala; at right, a man with a white turban, rudraksha mala and folded hands; and a figure in a red turban and white garment seated at the far right. Brass oil lamps sit on the platform and a golden throne-like chair stands at right.A temple ritual inside a decorated shrine at KAILASA Hyderabad. Two bare-chested priests in white dhotis with gold borders and white head cloths stand at left and right, one pouring liquid from a small vessel and the other holding a brass bowl. A third man in a yellow turban, bare-chested with rudraksha malas, stands at right beside a golden chair. Between them lies a large decorated deity murti in a red and purple sari with white and green garlands, on a yellow cloth. Behind is a shrine with a golden arch, a deity murti with a crown, flower garlands, potted plants, brass lamps and colourful striped cloth hangings. Palm fronds frame the scene.A photograph of a homa ritual inside a decorated temple shrine at night. A fire burns in a stone fire pit in the foreground, beside a wrapped offering bundle decorated with red and gold cloth and white flowers. Behind it, a deity murti stands in a golden shrine lined with colourful garlands, yellow and pink flowers and kalasha pots. On the left, a bare-chested man in a yellow turban and white dhoti holds a tray with a red cloth. Beside him, another priest in white stands near a red cloth and palm leaf decorations. On the right, a bare-chested man in a white turban and white dhoti stands with palms pressed together in anjali. A seated figure in a red turban and white and red garlanded robes sits on an ornate golden throne at the right edge, with a rudraksha-style necklace visible on the standing priest. Several people are visible in the scene.