September 05 2010 - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

September 05 2010

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A photograph of an outdoor homa at an ashram. In the foreground a priest with a shaved head and white forehead markings, wearing white dhoti and shawl with maroon borders, kneels and feeds offerings into a flame from a small fire pit. A framed portrait stands on a red and gold throne behind him; the portrait shows a smiling man with long dark hair in an orange robe and beaded necklace, seated in lotus position with one hand raised, labelled as a portrait of Paramahamsa Nithyananda. Two more white-clad men stand behind the fire area, and a bowl of offerings sits nearby. A yellow vehicle is parked at the right edge.

A night-time homa at an outdoor fire altar. A young shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and white shawl with a red border sits at right, with white vibhuti horizontal markings on his forehead and arms, holding a burning ghee-soaked bundle over a brass bowl of flames. Smoke drifts across the stone altar and a brass bowl with a ladle sits in front. Behind him a framed portrait shows a saffron-clad figure seated in meditation on a cushion. Two men in white stand in the background, one wearing a rudraksha mala.

Evening homa at an outdoor ashram setting with a fire pit and flickering oil lamp. A seated priest bare-chested with a white dhoti and shawl bordered in red holds a tray of offerings above the fire pit, with smoke rising. In the background on the left, a man in saffron-orange robes with a rudraksha mala and a gold necklace sits on a red and gold throne, hands folded in meditation, with a bell and brass items in front. Behind them stands a white board with diagrams and a seated figure. Marigold garlands and a kalasha-type brass vessel lie in the foreground near a small golden bell.

Night outdoor ceremony under a open-sided roof with palm trees behind. In the foreground a bare-shouldered man in white dhoti and shawl with red-maroon borders stands bent forward with hands joined in front of a square fire pit where sparks rise. A bronze hand bell, brass vessels, a silver tray of fruit, flower garlands and framed pictures sit on orange cloth and a woven mat. Behind, a seated man in saffron-orange robes with a rudraksha mala and ceremonial necklace sits on a red and gold throne; the appearance is consistent with the page's reference to a person, a probable identification based on these cues. Several seated women in saris watch from the right, and a standing figure appears in the background.

A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl with a red-bordered cloth sits on a mat at a red fire box, pouring from a brass vessel into a flame during an evening puja. Gold necklaces and a white tilak mark him. Beside him stand a brass kettle, a plate of flowers and a brass bowl. Behind, an ornate gold throne with red cushions is draped with yellow and maroon garlands, and a framed portrait on it shows a figure in orange robes and a mala, seated and smiling. A microphone stands in front. Other people sit in the background near a drum at the left edge.

2010-10-04 +1 copies

A photograph of an evening arati inside a temple hall at night. A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl with a red border, wearing a gold chain and white forehead markings, sits on the floor holding a lit oil lamp flame in front of a microphone. Before him is a red box with a sprinkled area and brass vessels, a small kettle, and offerings. To the right stands an ornate gilded throne with red cushions, garlanded in yellow and maroon flowers, displaying a framed portrait of a seated figure in saffron robes and a rudraksha mala, with a vase of flowers in front. Another gilded seat with red cushions sits behind the priest, beside stone pillars and brass lamp stands.

2010-10-04 +1 copies

February 06 2014

April 23 2012

Night photograph of a homa fire ritual in an outdoor courtyard. A shaved-headed priest in white dhoti and shawl with red border and a gold bead necklace holds a lit lamp over a square black fire pit edged with white and scattered flowers. Another priest in white with gold beads sits cross-legged beside a brass bell and offerings. A man in white with a yellow shawl photographs the scene with a camera, and bright red and yellow lights decorate a building behind. Brass lamps, a carved wooden seat and fruit trays surround the ritual area, with devotees seated in front.

December 20 2011

A photograph of a fire ritual before a framed portrait of a seated figure in saffron-orange robes with a white flower garland, one hand raised in blessing, under a banyan-like tree backdrop. The framed portrait is garlanded with orange and white flowers and sits on a gold-trimmed orange-draped stand with red upholstered arms. A bald man in white dhoti and shirt with a yellow shawl kneels at lower left, feeding offerings from a tray into a red fire pit with visible flames. Brass oil lamps stand at either side, and brass plates of fruit and offerings surround the fire. The portrait depicts a depiction, not a physical person in the scene, so the single physical person is the kneeling priest.