Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A puja ritual is taking place indoors on an orange cloth before a red velvet throne. Three men in white dhotis and yellow shawls sit on the floor; the central priest, seated on a low wooden stool, gestures with his hands over a square brick-and-earth fire pit (homa kund) holding offerings. Around them, rows of small brass lamps and dishes are arranged on the cloth, with fruit, flowers and a brass tray nearby. Behind the throne stands a framed photograph of a smiling man in saffron robes and a rudraksha mala, garlanded with marigolds and red flowers, displayed as a portrait rather than a living person. Brass oil lamps stand on both sides, and a deity murti is visible at the upper right.

More like this

Open the gallery
A puja ceremony in a temple hall with a red and white striped wall. Three men sit on orange cloth; the two on the left wear white kurtas with yellow shawls, and the central man wears a white kurta and yellow shawl with hands folded in prayer. Dozens of small brass oil lamps (lamps) fill the floor in front of them, with banana leaves, fruit, flowers and a brass plate. Behind them a framed photograph of a smiling woman in orange robes with a beaded necklace is garlanded with red and yellow flowers, placed on a red velvet chair. A carved stone shrine and a seated deity murti are visible in the background, with a red and orange hanging cloth.2010-06-06A fire ritual in a courtyard with a homa fire burning in a fire pit surrounded by wooden blocks and offerings. Four men in white kurta-style clothing with yellow shawls sit on mats; one seated in the centre has a yellow shawl and rudraksha mala and performs the ritual. A large framed portrait of a figure in orange robes, wearing a garland of red and yellow flowers and a beaded necklace, sits on a red armchair beside a brass oil lamp and kalasha, with plates of fruit and flowers in front. Small brass oil lamps are arranged on the floor at left, and red curtains and a red-and-white painted wall frame the scene.2010-06-06June 06 20102010-06-06June 07 20102010-06-07Two priests in white dhotis with yellow shawls perform a homa at a brick fire pit in an open courtyard. The seated priest on the right stirs the fire with a long ladle and holds a bowl, while the priest on the left, seated on a mat, holds a small offering dish. A portrait of a man in orange robes with a rudraksha mala and garlands of red flowers sits on a red armchair with gold trim beside the fire, and a silver kalasha-like vessel and offering trays with flowers and grains lie nearby. Brass lamps and small bowls of offerings are arranged on the mat in the foreground.2010-06-07December 29 20092009-12-29June 06 20102010-06-06A homa fire ritual in an outdoor courtyard. Two priests in white dhoti and shirt with yellow shawls sit on an orange cloth before a brick fire pit with burning wood, decorated with marigolds. One priest pours an offering from a brass bowl while the other stirs with a ladle. Behind the fire, a large framed portrait of a long-haired figure in orange robes and a rudraksha mala sits on a red velvet throne garlanded with red flowers, beside brass oil lamps and a kalasha. Small brass dishes of grains and offerings line the foreground. A stone deity carving stands in the background.2010-06-07A photo of a pooja set up on a polished granite floor at night, with three people seated on the floor in white clothes and yellow shawls. The person on the left, seen from behind, sits on a yellow cushion beside a small fire pit of brick with a homa or fire offering, and the person in the centre sits on a yellow cushion before brass plates. The person on the right, in white with a yellow shawl, arranges rows of small brass lamps on a patterned mat. In the background a framed portrait of a person in orange robes with a garland of red flowers rests on a striped cushioned seat, and brass items, a kalasha-like vessel and a tray of sticks sit near the fire pit. Flowers drape the portrait frame and the room is lit by warm lamps.2009-10-17January 14 20102010-01-14Inside a white-pillared temple hall at night, a small fire burns in a brick-lined pit in front of a framed portrait of a woman in orange and saffron garments with a long beaded necklace, set atop a cushioned seat draped in red and white garlands. Three people sit on the floor: a woman in white with a long braid tends the flame; a man in white with a yellow shawl arranges rows of small brass oil lamps on a checked mat; another man in white with a yellow shawl sits beside them. A fourth seated man in grey shirt and orange-striped wrap watches. Brass plates hold bundled sticks and offerings; a small brass lamp stand sits to the left. The scene suggests a homa or puja with oil lamps.2009-10-17June 06 20102010-06-06