Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
Night outdoor puja at a temple-like courtyard lit by floodlights, with banana plants behind. A long-haired man in saffron-orange dhoti and shawl, with gold necklaces and armband, holds a lit oil lamp (aarti) toward a tall seated figure draped in white cloth and garlanded with yellow, red and green flowers. The seated figure has a painted face and a red-and-white garland; it is a deity murti or statue, not a person. Behind the aarti performer, a bald priest in orange and gold holds a brass plate of flowers. Rows of seated devotees' white-cloth mats and small black-and-white vessels stretch into the background. Scattered flower petals lie on the ground.

More like this

Open the gallery
Night-time outdoor ritual scene. A man with long, swept-back dark hair and bare arms, wearing an orange saffron dhoti and shawl with gold bangles, holds an aarti lamp with a flame toward a large seated Shiva lingam draped in white cloth, garlanded with yellow and red marigold flower strands and a green leaf crown, with a rudraksha-style necklace. Banana trees and rows of smaller lingams with white cloth bases and flower offerings surround the courtyard. Marigold petals are scattered on the ground. Swamiji (probable): long swept-back hair, saffron clothing and gold ornaments, performing aarti as the officiant.2011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20Night outdoor ritual at a temple-like courtyard. A figure with long dark hair, wearing an orange-saffron dhoti and orange shawl with gold border and gold armlets, stands at left holding a flaming oil lamp (aarti) toward a central shrine. The shrine holds a deity murti or lingam-style form draped in white with a red and white cloth, garlanded with yellow marigold and red flower garlands, with a rudraksha-style mala and a trident-marked decoration. Rows of small white-covered shivalingam-style stations with black tops stretch across the ground under banana leaves and lit palms. Only the one standing figure is physically visible.2011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20Night outdoor ritual photograph. A person in an orange saffron garment with an orange sash stands with their back to the camera, holding a lit oil lamp flame aloft toward a seated figure. The seated figure sits on a draped white and grey table, wearing white clothing, a rudraksha-style white bead necklace, and a red cloth with a marked forehead, and is garlanded with yellow and red marigold flowers and green leaves. Rows of white-wrapped packets with dark tags stretch across the ground to the right under banana palms. Arm bangles and a bare back are visible on the standing figure.2011-12-20December 20 20112011-12-20Night outdoor puja at a rows-of-lingams setting. A figure in orange robes with long dark hair, back to the camera, extends hands over a shivalingam draped with a red cloth and garlanded with yellow and red flowers and green leaves. Rows of small lingams with white cloths stretch into the darkness on either side. A bald attendant in orange robes holds a brass tray at left. Banana leaves hang above and palms and lamps line the background.2011-12-20Night-time outdoor ritual at an open ground lined with rows of white-covered pedestals holding dark lingams. A person in an orange saffron robe with long dark hair stands barefoot at left, hands folded in anjali, facing a central pedestal draped in white cloth. The central lingam is decorated with a red and white garland and a long marigold garland of yellow and orange flowers. Banana plants and a tray of flowers and offerings sit at the left edge, with small lamps glowing in the background.2011-12-20Night photograph of an outdoor temple shrine. A tall black Shiva lingam is draped in garlands of yellow and red flowers and an orange cloth, with a small red deity figure at its base. A long-haired person in orange saffron robes and gold bangles stands at the right, holding a lit oil lamp in one hand and a bell in the other, facing the shrine. At the far right edge, a bald person in white ritual dress holds a silver tray of green leaves and flowers. Red and white striped pillars, a golden gateway and dark trees surround the courtyard.2011-12-20Night outdoor ritual at a temple-like setting lit by a street lamp and small oil lamps. A bald man in white dhoti and shawl with gold-edged border holds a lit camphor flame in a metal aarti lamp, facing a seated figure. The seated figure is a statue or murti wearing an orange-red cloth draped over the head, adorned with layered silver necklaces, a garland of yellow and red flowers, and seated on a white-draped platform. Brass vessels, a kalasha-type container, and a small plate of offerings sit on a tray before the statue, with smoke rising. Rows of black lingams and small lamps line the background.2011-11-10