Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
Outdoor ritual on a raised white-covered platform. A seated figure in saffron-orange robes and an orange head cloth, with white garments beneath, raises one hand in blessing toward a microphone on a stand. A standing attendant in white kurta holds a long wooden pole upright behind him. In front, brass oil lamps with lit wicks, a brass kalasha, a tray of fruit including pineapple, flower garlands and marigolds stand on the table. To the right, a tall stacked pyramid of woven baskets wrapped in gold foil, each holding fruit and green leaves, stands on a red cloth. A woman in white sits at the left edge near a blue tarp, and a girl in white sits beside the lamps. Red and patterned banners hang behind, with speakers and a water tank visible.

More like this

Open the gallery
September 03 20072007-09-03Outdoor ritual scene with a kalasha-style brass pot and offerings beside a sacred fire area. In the foreground, a priest in orange robes with a draped head covering and a gold bead necklace sits and performs the rite, with a sandalwood or vibhuti mark on his forehead. Behind him, people in white and yellow clothing sit and stand, including a woman in a yellow top and a man in white. A large Shiva lingam draped with a red and white garland stands in the background beside a statue. Mango leaves, flowers and woven baskets frame the foreground.2009-09-25Outdoor ritual scene with a row of copper kalasha pots decorated with yellow marigold garlands and striped cloth. A man in an orange turban, orange robe and a long white-and-orange flower garland pours water from a silver vessel over the pots, water arcing through the air. Beside him a bearded man in orange robes stands with hands folded in namaste. Men in white shirts and dhotis stand around, one holding a small handheld bell. Palm trees, a white building with marigold garlands, and an orange flag and umbrella frame the background.2010-02-18September 03 20072007-09-03Outdoor ritual at a temple-style yard under a tent canopy. A shaved-headed priest in saffron-orange robes and a saffron head-cloth, with a white tilak on his forehead and a rudraksha mala, sits at a microphone before a stone platform, pouring from a brass bowl with a ladle. Brass lamps, a kalasha-type vessel, a brass oil lamp and marigold and orange flowers sit on the platform. Behind him a woman in an orange shawl and white garment and other devotees in white stand near colourful umbrella-shaped canopies with bird and floral patterns. The scene suggests a puja or abhishekam.2007-09-03A photograph of a homa or yagna setting under a covered open-sided pavilion. A woman with long dark hair in an orange-red sari stands behind a long white-draped table, hands pressed together in prayer over a row of kalasha-style pots, each wrapped in woven golden netting and topped with coconuts, with green grass blades and marigold-like flowers. To the left, several men in white dhotis and white shirts sit on the floor, and a man in a light green shirt stands near the table. A painted backdrop of golden wheat fields and a striped ceremonial banner appear behind. Brick-like platforms with offerings sit at the left edge, and the scene is tinted teal-green.2007-11-07Outdoor temple ritual under a open-sided pavilion with palm and banana leaves. A shaved-headed man in orange-saffron robes and a beaded necklace stands with palms pressed together at a square black fire pit (homa kund) edged with white and marsh flower garlands. Behind him, devotees in white clothes sit on the ground with hands folded, including a woman in yellow and a woman with long grey hair. Brass kalasha pots topped with orange-yellow mounds stand on a white-draped table to the right, and metal vessels and offerings sit near the fire pit. Terracotta-coloured ashram buildings and decorative stone figures appear in the background.2011-07-15September 09 20132013-09-09May 03 20122012-05-03A photograph of a fire ritual (homa/yagna) under a pandal decorated with palm fronds and purple cloth. A figure with long, swept-back dark hair wears saffron-orange robes, a gold necklace and a rudraksha-style mala and sits behind a raised altar bed covered with pink, red and white flowers, with a microphone in front. a person is in the central seat; he appears to be the officiant. Around him, white-clad devotees with orange shawls sit in rows, some holding offerings, and a silver vessel stands at right. A deity shrine with a framed image sits on a stage at upper left, and garlands of pink and white flowers line the foreground.2006-07-18October 02 20142014-10-02September 03 20072007-09-03