A photograph of a temple abhishekam in progress. A large black stone Shiva lingam sits on a raised platform in the foreground, while a man in white dhoti and white shawl stands at right pouring or offering liquid over it. Several seated devotees in the background wear red and white clothing near a decorated altar with deity images and flowers. Count visible people: about four or five. - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

A photograph of a temple abhishekam in progress. A large black stone Shiva lingam sits on a raised platform in the foreground, while a man in white dhoti and white shawl stands at right pouring or offering liquid over it. Several seated devotees in the background wear red and white clothing near a decorated altar with deity images and flowers. Count visible people: about four or five.

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September 10 2011

A photograph inside a temple hall lined with rows of dark stone statues. In the foreground, a large black stone lingam sits on a bed of red and orange cloth. A man in white dhoti and shirt stands at right, leaning over the lingam with a vessel, apparently pouring liquid over it. Two women in colourful saris sit at left beside the lingam, one in pink and one in yellow, watching the ritual. This appears to be an abhishekam being performed on a shivalingam.

A photograph inside a temple hall during a puja. A man in a white dhoti and white upper cloth stands at the right, holding a brass plate or lamp over a seated figure. In the left foreground, a devotee lies prostrate on a mat, face down, in a red garment. Behind them, a row of black stone deity murtis stands in niches along the wall. A white altar and small brass vessels with offerings and flowers are in the centre foreground. Several seated devotees in white and colourful clothes sit near the altar.

A photograph of a satsang or puja in an ashram hall. A young man in white dhoti and a white shawl stands at the right holding a small object, facing a seated group of devotees. Several women in colourful saris sit on a blue mat in front, and a row of black stone statues of seated saints lines the back wall, alongside gilded deity murtis of Rama and Krishna on a shelf. Brass puja vessels and offerings sit on a tray at the front, and a dark statue stands near the left edge. Only the standing man is clearly in white; no figure is clearly identifiable as a person from appearance.

A photo inside a temple or shrine room with several dark stone murtis on the left, including seated figures with raised hands, beside a row of painted deity statues on the right in orange, red and white garments. In the foreground a bare-chested man in a white dhoti stands at the left-centre, facing the shrine and holding flowers or offerings near the deities. The setting is a richly decorated puja area with garlands and ritual items.

A photograph of an interior room with a row of identical black stone statues of seated figures lined up along a shelf or platform against a pale wall. In the lower right, a golden deity murti and small ornaments sit on a side table. On the left edge, a person in white clothing stands near the statues, partly visible. Ceiling lights and a plain, clean setting frame the scene.

A man in a white short-sleeved t-shirt kneels and pours water from a copper pot over a large dark stone Nandi bull sculpture, an abhishekam offering. A gold ring is visible on his hand. Behind him are rows of white and cream statues, possibly deity or saint figures, a white seated figure on a shelf, a gold-framed shrine, and hanging red and orange floral strings above, with a black speaker at the left edge.

A man in a white shirt pours water from a copper kalasha over a large black stone Nandi (bull) statue in the foreground, performing abhishekam. Behind him on the left stands a deity murti dressed in orange and green cloth beneath a gold-framed altar niche, and on the right a framed picture shows a figure in orange robes. Garlands of green, red and yellow flowers hang near the top edge. The man has short dark hair and is smiling with eyes half closed; no appearance-based a person candidate is clearly established, so identity is unsure.

September 10 2011

A man in a cream-colored kurta and white dhoti stands before a black stone Nandi bull statue, pouring water from a large brass kalasha onto it in an abhishekam. He wears glasses, a dark rudraksha-style bead necklace, and a wristwatch, and smiles while holding the pot high. Behind him, a shrine displays deity murti decorated with yellow and red marigold garlands, with a red cloth draped to one side. A small child in red is partially visible at the left edge.

A man with a shaved head and orange-saffron robes stands at a black stone Nandi statue, placing a garland of pink and white flowers around its neck. Gold bells hang from the garland. He wears a red cloth on his head, a gold bangle and gold bracelets. Behind him are a gold-framed arch, a red and gold garland, and a dark cloth-draped backdrop.