Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A photograph of a temple shrine with a black stone deity murti dressed in a white cloth and a rudraksha mala, with a pink flower garland on its head, set within a gilded arched niche against a marble-patterned wall. A bare-chested man in an orange-saffron dhoti with a gold border bends forward at the shrine, wearing a dark rudraksha mala and gold bangles, and reaches toward a silver tray heaped with mangoes, bananas, oranges, apples and pomegranates. A small oil lamp burns beside the niche.

More like this

Open the gallery
A priest with a bald shaved head, bare-chested and wearing an orange dhoti with gold borders and a dark beaded headband, bends forward to perform aarti with a multi-flame oil lamp before a dark deity murti in a gold-framed niche. The murti wears a white cloth, a rudraksha mala and a pink flower garland. Plates of mangoes, oranges, bananas and apples sit as offerings on a metal tray in front, with pink flowers on a side table and a brass lamp nearby.2012-05-09 +1 copiesMay 09 20122012-05-09Photograph inside a temple shrine. A bare-chested priest with a shaved head, a beaded headband and gold ornaments, wearing a rust-orange dhoti with gold borders, stands at left with one arm raised toward a gilded arched niche. Inside the niche a dark stone deity murti wears a white cloth with red-and-gold borders, a rudraksha mala, and a pink flower garland, lit by a yellow backdrop and an oil lamp. Pink flowers, bananas and brass vessels sit on a tray in front, with a standing brass lamp at right.2012-05-11A priest in an orange-brown dhoti with a gold-edged waistcloth and a beaded headband stands bare-chested, holding a lit camphor or oil lamp flame toward a dark stone deity murti dressed in an orange shawl and draped in pink flowers within a golden arched shrine niche. Ash or sandal markings are visible on his arms and chest. Two attendants in white dhotis stand at the sides of the shrine. Brass lamps, a kalasha-style vessel, pink flowers and a fruit offering sit on a stone platform in front. The setting is a glossy marble-walled temple sanctum.2012-05-14 +1 copiesA photograph of a temple shrine where a bare-chested priest in orange-red dhoti with gold border and a rudraksha mala around his neck pours or offers something over a black stone linga. The linga is draped with a white flower garland and a pink flower, set within a gilded arched niche with a yellow cloth backdrop. Pink petals are scattered on the stone base, a steel vessel of pink petals and small bowls sit on the altar, a plate of bananas rests nearby, and a brass oil lamp burns to the right against marble walls. The priest is shown in a ritual abhishekam-style offering to the linga, with the man's upper body, arms and gold armlet visible.2012-05-13 +1 copiesMay 09 20122012-05-09 +1 copiesMay 08 20122012-05-08A shaved-headed priest stands bare-chested in a rust-orange dhoti with gold borders and a gold-beaded head band, holding a lit oil lamp toward a black stone murti in a gilded niche. The murti is draped in white cloth with a gold border, wears a rudraksha mala, and has a pink flower garland on its head. Pink flowers, banana bunches and brass vessels sit on a stone altar in front. A second person's hand and head appear at the right edge. The priest appears to be performing aarti or puja.2012-05-11A photograph inside a temple shrine. A shaved-headed man with long rudraksha malas and a gold-coloured headband wears an orange-red garment with yellow borders and holds a small object near a lit lamp. Opposite him, a younger man in white dhoti and shawl with yellow trim, wearing glasses, holds a brass tray with a lit oil lamp. Behind them is a golden arched niche containing a deity murti draped in white with a garland, flanked by oil lamps. A tray of mangoes, bananas, oranges and apples sits in front. Two more figures in white stand at the left edge.2012-05-09A photograph of a shaved-headed priest bare-chested in an orange-red dhoti with gold borders, holding a brass plate with a lit oil lamp and flowers, performing aarti before a deity murti in a gold arched shrine niche. The murti, dark-stoned with a white cloth, pink flower garland and rudraksha mala, sits on a pink-flower-strewn platform beside brass lamps. A second attendant in white stands at the left edge. Golden lion-like carvings flank the shrine. The priest's identity cannot be determined from appearance, so he is described by role only.2012-05-11A bald, bare-chested temple priest in an orange-red dhoti with gold border stands in a shrine, leaning forward to place a white and pink flower garland on a dark stone deity murti under a gold arched kirtimukha-topped niche with yellow cloth backdrop. Pink flowers are scattered on the pedestal, a brass oil lamp burns to the right, a steel vessel of flowers and a plate of bananas sit in front. A rudraksha mala and vibhuti marks are visible on the priest.2012-05-13 +1 copiesA photograph inside a temple shrine. An elderly man with a shaved head, bare-chested, wears an orange-red dhoti with gold borders, a beaded rudraksha mala and gold armlets, and holds a small vessel while offering to a black deity murti dressed in white and orange cloth with a white jasmine garland and pink flowers. Gold ornate shrine arch surrounds it, with a brass oil lamp burning at right. A younger man in white dhoti with gold border stands with folded hands in a respectful pose. Appearance-based cues on the elder are insufficient to confirm identity, so the role is described as a priest performing puja.2012-05-13