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Nithyanandapedia
A seated man with long dark hair, a white forehead mark, a rudraksha-style mala and a heavy gold ceremonial necklace sits on an ornate silver throne with a red cushion, lifting a small object while a bald devotee bends forward with his head lowered. Around them, attendants in orange dhotis and white ritual cloths stand near brass oil lamps and a silver vessel inside a carved stone temple setting. Probable Swamiji (probable) is seated centrally in dark maroon robes with long swept-back hair and layered gold necklaces, presiding over the blessing. Other attendants have white body markings and orange cloth, and a golden deity murti stands in the background.

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October 01 20172017-10-01A photograph of a ceremonial blessing in a temple hall. A seated man in a dark maroon-brown robe with long dark hair, a white tilak on his forehead, beaded rudraksha-style necklaces and a large gold ceremonial pendant rests both hands on the shaved head of a bare-backed kneeling devotee in white dhoti. Beside him a standing attendant with a long beaded rudraksha mala, gold necklace and white tilak holds a folded paper, and other attendants in white dhotis with white body markings support the kneeling devotee. Orange and saffron cloths hang in the background near brass lamps and a silver seat, with a small metal animal figure in the foreground.2017-10-01October 05 20172017-10-05A seated man in an ornate red-orange robe with a yellow leopard-print headwrap, long hair swept back, a gold chain and layered rudraksha malas, places his hands on the head of a bald man kneeling before him. The kneeling man wears a saffron wrap and has a white thread being held over his head by a monk in orange with rudraksha beads, while another orange-clad attendant steadies him. A silver ornate backdrop stands behind; the setting resembles a ritual blessing or initiation. Appearance-based candidate: Swamiji (probable), seated and giving the blessing, with distinctive long swept-back hair, gold necklace and rudraksha malas.2017-12-10A photo of a ceremonial blessing in a temple-like interior. A seated man in a deep red-maroon dhoti and shawl, with long dreadlocked hair, a gold necklace with a large pendant, gold-beaded necklaces, and red beaded bracelets, places both hands on the head of a bare-chested man who is bowed forward, wearing a white dhoti. A second man in orange and white robes with long beaded necklaces and a white forehead mark stands behind, holding a small white paper or cloth. Golden decorations and an orange-clad figure appear in the background, and a carved stone lion sits in the foreground. The seated figure is a person by appearance, with dreadlocked hair, gold ornaments and red-saffron clothing.2017-10-01A night-time photograph of a ritual initiation. On the right, a man with long swept-back hair, a beard, a red-brown saffron shawl, a long multi-strand gold necklace, a gold pendant and rudraksha-style beaded bracelets raises his right hand to touch the forehead of a bare-chested devotee on the left, who bows forward. The devotee wears a white cloth with a thin white sacred thread, a rudraksha mala and red-and-white wrist threads. Behind them an attendant in white clothing with a vertical sandalwood-coloured mark on his forehead watches, and a silver-trimmed ornate throne stands at the right edge beside a red pillar. The scene is a shiva deeksha initiation.2017-10-05Photograph of a seated man with long dark hair, a full beard, a red-brown shawl over the shoulders, gold ornamental necklaces and rudraksha beads, bowing his head toward a bare-chested devotee in front, who has a white cloth draped over his head and a rudraksha mala at the neck. Behind the seated man is an ornate silver chair. Another person in a rudraksha mala and gold chains stands at left, holding the white cloth. The seated man extends his hands in blessing toward the bowing devotee.2017-10-05A photograph of a ritual initiation at night. A man with long dark hair, a full beard, gold earrings and a rust-red shawl over his shoulders, wearing layered gold necklaces with a large gold pendant and rudraksha bead bracelets, places his hand on the forehead of a bare-chested devotee in a white dhoti and white shawl who bows forward with hands joined. Another devotee in white stands behind, and a man at left wears rudraksha malas and has white sacred ash marks. The seated man sits on an ornate silver-and-red throne-like chair in front of a stone pillar and red wall.2017-10-05July 28 20172017-07-28September 26 20172017-09-26October 01 20172017-10-01A photograph of a ritual scene inside a temple-like hall with orange and saffron cloth hangings and a brass lamp at left. A seated man with long dark hair, a dark red garment, layered gold necklaces and orange bangles sits on an ornate silver-and-red chair and reaches toward a bowed figure. Beside him a man in white dhoti with white ash markings on his arms and face holds a folded paper and a white thread, while a woman in white garments and an orange-clad attendant stand nearby. A bearded figure in a dark robe with a long rudraksha-style necklace and dreadlocked hair stands at left, with a white-cloth bundle in front. The scene suggests a ritual tying of threads at the head of a devotee.2017-10-01