Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
Outdoor ground-breaking ritual at a construction site on bare sandy earth bordered by concrete blocks. A central figure in an orange-red robe with a long red-and-white flower garland and gold arm band thrusts a silver ceremonial staff with a pointed tip into the sand. A bald man on the left wears an orange robe and a beaded necklace with a gold pendant. Two saffron-robed assistants kneel near a wooden tray holding brass vessels, bells, a conch-shaped cup and flower petals; one holds a plate of flowers. Brass pots with mango leaves and coconuts sit at the corners. A crowd of men in white kurtas and shirts stands behind, with a large black board and trees in the background. Scattered rose petals cover the ground.

More like this

Open the gallery
July 07 20092009-07-07Outdoor ritual at a construction site with a square pit lined with grey concrete blocks and sand scattered with rose petals. A barefoot man in orange robes and a long flower garland of white, red and purple blooms stands in the pit lifting a tall silver trident-topped staff upright. Brass kalasha pots with mango leaves and gold tops sit at the corners. Behind him, an orange-robed priest with shaved head and gold necklace extends his arm, and another orange-clad assistant kneels at a small wooden table with brass vessels and a tray of flowers. A man in white kurta and a lanyard stands nearby, with a crowd of onlookers in white and dark clothing behind a large black panel.2009-07-08 +1 copiesOutdoor ground-breaking or consecration ritual on a sandy site framed by grey concrete blocks. A central figure in an orange-red sleeveless top and wrap, with long dark hair and a red, white and purple flower garland, grips a tall silver ceremonial rod planted in the sand. To the left, a bald man in orange robes and a gold bead necklace extends his arm. A kneeling attendant in orange and gold beads tends silver ritual vessels on a wooden tray, and another attendant in orange holds a tray of flower petals. Two brass pots with mango-leaf and coconut tops sit on the blocks, and rose petals are scattered across the ground. Behind them, a crowd of men and women in white kurtas and dhotis stands before a black screen and trees.2009-07-08 +1 copiesJuly 07 20092009-07-07 +1 copiesJuly 07 20092009-07-07July 07 20092009-07-07 +1 copiesOutdoor ritual at a stone-paved square with a tall metal pole rising from a sand-filled pit. A woman in a red-orange sari with a garland of pink flowers bends forward and pours liquid into the pit, which is strewn with pink and white petals. Brass kalashas and a brass oil lamp sit on the stone border. Around her, a large crowd of men and women in white shirts, saffron-orange dhotis and sarees watches, several with hands raised. A young man in orange at right holds a plate of pink flowers, and one man at left holds a long wooden stick. A dark glass structure stands at the right edge.2009-07-08 +1 copiesJuly 08 20092009-07-08 +1 copiesJuly 08 20092009-07-08Outdoor photo of a burial-style rite at a freshly dug earthen pit. A bearded man with long dark hair, wearing an orange jacket and rust-orange dhoti, pours bright yellow powder from a bowl into the pit. Around him, shirtless men in orange dhotis wear rudraksha malas, one holding a tall wooden staff with red and green tassels that bears a canopy. A woman in a red sari stands among them. A man in white dhoti with gold border and a man holding a brass tray with flowers stand nearby. Rose-petal offerings lie on a cloth at the pit's edge, under bright sky and trees.2016-12-30July 07 20092009-07-07 +1 copiesOutdoor last-rites ceremony beside a deep open earth pit, with a red cloth and scattered flower petals lying in the grave. Several men in orange and saffron dhotis and shawls stand at the edge; one holds a multicolored fringed ceremonial umbrella on a tall gold-tipped pole. A central man in an orange shirt and maroon dhoti raises one hand, wearing a garland of yellow and orange flowers. A bare-chested man in orange holds a brass tray of flowers, and a man in white dhoti stands nearby. A small decorated shrine-like object sits on the left by an orange container structure, and a few people in rudraksha malas and orange clothing watch under a clear blue sky with trees behind.2016-12-30