Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
An outdoor ritual pavilion under a corrugated roof, strung with orange triangular pennants bearing a circular emblem and coconut palms around it. A large banner reads a Maha Kumbhabhishekam announcement with a portrait of a woman in saffron. At the back stands a decorated platform with a gold arched backdrop, small deity murtis and a tiered brass lamp stand. In the foreground, many white brick-like stacks sit on mats with small oil lamps and offering bowls. A man in white clothes walks at left, and a figure in white with a crown-like headdress sits at right near garlanded white statues. Red and white draped cloth lines the sides.

More like this

Open the gallery
Outdoor ritual under a tin-roofed pavilion with orange flags, a banner reading "Maha kumbabhisheka" beside a portrait labelled "Sri Nithyananda", and palm trees behind. Many devotees, mostly women and girls in white saris and white clothing, sit on mats in rows on the ground, with white brick-like blocks marking the floor. On a raised dais, a pyramid of kalasha pots and offerings stands before a deity murti framed by an ornate arch, and priests in white dhotis sit performing the puja. Pink and red drapes decorate the side. A homa or puja with pots is in progress, and a man in saffron robes sits in a chair near the altar.2006-12-29December 30 20062006-12-30A photograph of an open-sided pandal at an outdoor ashram ritual site with a dirt floor and palm trees. Rows of white-clad people sit on mats before rectangular brick-like fire pits built from white blocks, with dry sticks and offering plates laid out. Many participants wear white robes; a woman in a cream sari stands at centre and others in white and patterned garments move between rows. Garlands of yellow and orange flowers hang from the posts, and pink and blue balloons are tied at the left edge. A banner at the back shows a bearded figure's portrait with printed text for a Maha kumbhabhishekam, and a decorated shrine with a deity murti sits at the rear beside a draped table. The crowd is large but not all individuals are clearly distinct.2006-12-24Outdoor canopy ritual under a corrugated tin roof with rocky hills behind. Several men in white dhotis and orange shawls stand and kneel near a small altar with a framed picture of a deity and flower garlands. A woman in an orange saree with a beaded necklace stands at the centre of the scene. Behind the altar, a shaved-headed man in white stands among others. In the foreground, rows of small brick fire pits lie on striped mats, each with a brass plate holding flowers, fruit and sweets, and orange-cloth offerings. Colourful fabric banners hang from the poles at the corners.2008-11-11Outdoor ceremony on sandy ground under coconut palms. On the left, a decorated palanquin with red-and-white canopies and garlands of yellow and orange flowers stands beside a white-draped platform. In the centre, a man with long dark hair wears an orange robe, a beaded rudraksha-style necklace and a gold chain, standing beside a white-covered seat. Rows of people in white clothes sit on the ground to the right, many with folded hands, and brass oil lamps, a kalasha-style vessel and a lit brass lamp rest on cloth mats in front. A man in orange stands at the right edge holding an orange cloth. Hundreds of people in white attire fill the background. A microphone stands on the left.2006-07-11A photograph of an open-sided pavilion under a corrugated roof, lined with palm trees, where a large homa or yagna is being performed. Rows of white square fire pits or altars stand on bare earth, with a striped mat laid in front of one. At left, a deity murti or decorated figure sits on a white-draped platform beneath garlands, with a gold cloth draped over a table. Pink and red draped fabric frames the pavilion walls, and orange flags line the back. A standing figure in an orange robe at right holds a ritual implement, while a figure in white stands nearby. A crowd of people in white, orange and pink clothing stands in a long line behind a rope, watching the rite.2006-12-26July 11 20062006-07-11Outdoor homa ceremony under a red, white and gold draped canopy with a green banana-leaf and string decoration overhead. Several men in white clothes sit cross-legged on the ground around small brick fire pits, with flames burning in a metal bowl and offerings of fruit, flowers and food on brass plates. A standing man in white with a yellow shawl holds a small vessel. Behind them a large framed portrait of a saffron-robed sannyasi with a garland stands atop a tiered pyramid of coconuts and kalasha-style pots. A yellow-and-orange vehicle and a white upholstered chair sit nearby, and a few onlookers stand in the background. Ceremonial homa with offerings in progress.2010-07-24A photograph of an outdoor ritual yagna under a corrugated metal shelter with palm fronds and coconut palms. Rows of white concrete blocks form a fire-altar layout on the ground, covered with woven mats and scattered offerings. On the left, a pink and gold draped canopy frames a decorated altar with garlands, a deity murti and a gold cloth on a low table. Several people in white garments stand behind a cord along the back of the altar area. On the right, a man in an orange robe and two men in white and orange stand near the fire pit, with saffron flags along the edge. Baskets of fruit and coconuts sit in the foreground. Exact count of visible people is approximate, with roughly twenty to thirty standing around the ritual area.2006-12-26Outdoor ritual yagna under a open-sided tent with palm trees overhead. Rows of white-washed brick fire pits, each with a small fire or offering, are arranged on bare ground, with woven straw mats laid on some platforms. On the left, figures seated on white cloth before a pink and red draped canopy are garlanded with marigold, with a kalasha-style offering in front. Along the right, a line of devotees in white and saffron stands around the ritual area, and a person in orange robes stands at the far right near a larger square fire pit. Orange and red pennants hang from the tent poles, and corn cobs and coconuts sit as offerings in the foreground.2006-12-26Outdoor ritual under a tin-roofed pavilion with palm trees and red-and-white draped curtains. Many devotees in white clothes sit cross-legged on mats and white brick platforms, with women in saffron, blue and magenta saris among them. Before them stands a large conical pile of kalasha pots and a decorated altar with deity murti and oil lamps. A banner reads a Mala kumbhabhishekam event at Sri Adi Arunachaleswar Temple, Bidadi, with a portrait labelled with a name, and a flag bearing a sign hangs at left. A sign reading Padapuja and a photographer stand at the side. No a person candidate is clearly identifiable among the visible people.2006-12-29A photograph of an outdoor homa-style ritual under a tarpaulin canopy at an ashram site, with palm trees and red and gold draped cloth backdrops. Many participants in white clothes sit cross-legged on white mats and white cloth in long rows, with some women in saris of orange, blue and red. Behind them stands a large decorated ritual area with a white-draped structure, a kalasha-like stack of brass pots, and a deity murti in a gold arched frame. A banner on the left reads a Mahakumbhabhisheka notice with a portrait of an ascetic in saffron. A foreground figure holds a small brass vessel. Thin wooden sticks lie on the ground near offerings and small pots.2006-12-29