Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
A ritual scene before a shrine of large deity murti statues draped in heavy garlands of yellow, red, orange and purple flowers. In the centre, a seated person wearing a brown turban-style headwear and a white garland, with bare upper body and a pink wrap, sits before the altar. Foreground devotees in white dhoti-style cloths with bare upper bodies and sacred markings sit facing the altar, some with bare heads or tied hair, and microphones stand before them. Gold ornamented backdrop and a kalasha-like arrangement of flowers complete the shrine setting.

More like this

Open the gallery
July 18 20132013-07-18July 18 20132013-07-18A photograph of a ceremonial ritual inside a temple-style hall with gold-trimmed shrine canopies. Several deity murtis are seated on a raised platform, heavily garlanded with red, yellow and white flower strands. In the foreground, two seated men in white dhotis face the deities; the man on the left wears a brown cap and pink shawl, the man on the right wears a straw-coloured hat and a cream wrap with a white garland. A young child in pink sits beside the right man. Brass lamps, silver vessels, fruit, flower offerings and a kalasha sit on a white floor. On the far left a bare-chested priest with a shaved head and ochre cloth sits near the edge, and a man in white stands behind him. A man in a lavender shirt with a white garland sits at the right edge in the foreground.2013-07-18A temple ritual photo of a puja before an elaborately decorated altar with silver-and-gold arches and a green canopy. Central deity murti figures wear red crowns and are heavily garlanded with marigolds and white flower strands; flanking murtis are dressed in pink and magenta cloth. Several priests in white dhotis and bare-chested devotees with rudraksha-style necklaces sit on the floor. A seated woman in a grey-blue sari kneels at a brass-and-wood offering table holding fruit trays and a kalasha wrapped in garlands. Brass oil lamps stand beside the altar, and microphones are set in front of the seated ritual participants.2015-10-18July 18 20132013-07-18A temple ritual in a hall with a gold-framed shrine. Three deity murtis stand in the background, dressed in elaborate garlands of yellow, red, white and multicoloured flowers, with gold crowns and silk drapes. In the foreground, a bare-chested priest in an orange-yellow dhoti raises a hand, holding a small object above him near a bronze lamp. Two seated men sit on a gold-edged seat: one in a dark brown turban and pink shawl with a flower garland, the other in a green hat and cream kurta with a garland and a sandalwood-marked forehead. Scattered flower petals, a coconut, floral offerings and a pink-covered tray lie on the floor, along with a puja setup. Several people sit behind and beside the scene. Whether the seated man in the pink shawl is a person cannot be established from appearance alone.2013-07-18October 18 20152015-10-18A photograph of a satsang inside a richly decorated temple hall with gilded lion-figure pillars and an ornate golden canopy. A seated figure in the centre wears a red and gold turban, a gold necklace and a red garment, backed by a heavy garland of yellow, green and red flowers and a golden throne-like structure. Flanking the central figure are painted and gilded deity sculptures, including one holding a trident. Around 20 devotees sit on a red-draped platform with their backs to the camera, mostly in white clothes, one woman in a yellow blouse and white sari, and a man in a lavender shirt. Brass offering plates sit at the front edge of the platform.2015-07-31A seated man in an orange-red turban and saffron robe, wearing a rudraksha mala and gold necklaces, sits on a golden throne decorated with a large arch of yellow, red and white flower garlands. Behind him stand gilded figures, a trident is visible at right, and golden lion-like carvings flank the dais. Before him sits a seated assembly of devotees: men in white dhotis and shirts, women in white and cream saris, one in a gold blouse, all facing the throne on a red-draped platform. The setting appears to be a satsang or darshan, with the seated figure presented as a person, giving guidance to the gathered devotees.2015-07-31A photograph of a seated man at the centre of a richly decorated flower-covered throne or peetha, with hanging garlands of white and magenta flowers above and a gold kalasha-like ornament at the top. He wears an orange-brown garment, a gold-and-bead necklace, layered garlands of white flowers, green and red wrist bands, and has white markings on his forehead and face; his eyes are closed. Two people in saffron-orange head wraps and bare-shouldered orange cloth sit in the foreground, a person in white stands at the left edge, and another woman in orange garments sits at the right. The throne is decorated with red, yellow, purple and white flowers and gold circular ornaments.2017-07-09Temple ritual scene before a richly decorated deity shrine with yellow and red marigold garlands and a golden prabhavali halo at left. A priest in white dhoti with an orange-yellow upper cloth and rudraksha mala stands at left, holding a lamp toward the shrine. Behind him a shirtless man in white dhoti with a beaded rudraksha necklace holds a brass tray with a vessel and offerings. Seated at right, a man in a yellow turban and gold upper cloth with a bead necklace and gold armbands sits beside another man in a green turban and green shawl with gold bangles, who is seated and handling a ritual item. Small oil lamps and a flower vase sit in front of the shrine, and a stack of offerings lies at lower left. This appears to be a puja or abhishekam in progress.2016-02-02July 13 20152015-07-13