Skip to content
Nithyanandapedia
Night-time ritual in a large tented hall with a red carpet and hanging coloured lanterns. In the foreground, several brass kalasha pots wrapped in yellow marigold garlands and banana-leaf sprigs with white cloth sit on banana leaves scattered with flower petals and rice. Behind them, a shirtless priest in a pink-orange turban and white dhoti stands at a wooden altar table, with smoke rising from a fire or offering; a second priest in white sits at the altar and a man in white dhoti with a shawl stands at right. A seated man in white dhoti with bare back faces the altar. A gold-framed ornate arch and a decorated deity murti appear at left. Incense smoke drifts through the bright lights. Four people are visible.

More like this

Open the gallery
Photograph of a homa fire ritual under a striped tent canopy decorated with colourful paper lanterns and fans. In the foreground, several brass kalasha pots wrapped in yellow marigold garlands, white cloth and green banana leaves sit on a red carpet, with bananas and white rice scattered beside them. A bare-backed priest in a white dhoti sits at left facing the fire. A man in a pink turban and bare chest tends the flames of a fire pit on a wooden platform, while a young man in a white shawl stands at right. Behind them, a gilded ornamental shrine holds a deity murti decorated with white jasmine and orange flower garlands. Smoke rises from the fire.2016-12-02A ritual hall under a white tent ceiling hung with colourful tassels and paper lanterns. In the foreground, several brass kalasha pots wrapped in woven netting are decorated with yellow marigold garlands, green banana leaves and white cloth, set on a red carpet scattered with petals. A man with bare upper body and white dhoti sits with his back to the camera. Beyond, a priest in a pink turban and white cloth sits behind a low wooden platform with offerings, and a bare-chested man in white stands at right. A golden arch with flower garlands frames the left side. The scene shows a puja or abhishekam being performed.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02Night-time homa at a large open tent ceremony with a crowd of devotees seated on the floor. A wooden fire pit with a lit flame sits centre stage on a red cloth. Several priests in white dhotis, some bare-chested with white shoulder cloths, sit around the fire; one wears a pink-and-white head cloth and a sacred thread. A decorated deity murti with garlands and a kalasha rests on the left beside fruit offerings. In the foreground, a man in white hands over a plate of yellow marigold flowers, and banana-leaf offerings wrapped in marigolds and fruit sit on the red floor. Colourful paper lanterns and gold pillars decorate the tent ceremony hall.2016-12-02December 02 20162016-12-02A large covered hall during an evening fire ritual. At the centre, a tiered wooden homa fire pit burns with bright flames, surrounded by red cloth, scattered marigold petals and plates of flowers and fruit. Seated priests in white dhotis and bare-chested attire perform the rites, one man in a yellow shawl and another with a pink-and-magenta turban tending the fire. To the left, a decorated deity murti sits on a golden throne with flower garlands and offerings of fruit and coconuts. A large seated crowd of bare-chested devotees fills the hall, and colourful paper hanging decorations and lamps are suspended from the ceiling. Another man in white stands at the back.2016-12-02A night homa in a large tented hall with red mats and paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A sacred fire burns in a wooden fire pit at centre-right, with yellow and orange-robed priests seated around it. One priest in an orange headcloth, orange shawl and white dhoti pours offerings. Shirtless male and female devotees in white dhotis and yellow shawls sit on the red mats, and gold kalashas, marigold garlands and brass plates of offerings surround the fire. Behind them a crowd sits on the floor, and a white-robed figure with a purple shawl stands near a golden deity murti shrine. Overall the scene is a homa with devotees and priests.2016-12-05December 12 20162016-12-12December 02 20162016-12-02A photo of a homa or fire ritual inside a decorated hall with marigold garlands hanging from the ceiling and pillars. Four priests stand at the fire pit, the central one wearing a red-and-gold turban and a gold necklace, with the others bare-chested in white dhotis with gold borders. Two of them pour from vessels and hold garlands. A small flame burns at the fire pit, surrounded by brick-shaped offerings decorated with flowers and coconuts. On the left, a seated figure in saffron-coloured clothing with a garland and a woman in a purple sari sit near a peacock-shaped decoration. Golden parasols and brass pots are visible in the foreground.2018-04-14April 14 20182018-04-14A homa fire burns in a large pavilion hall, with a fire pit at the center surrounded by brass vessels, plates of fruit and sweets, and garlands of yellow marigolds. Several men sit cross-legged on red cloth wearing bare upper bodies, rudraksha-style beaded malas, and white dhotis, with some in red-and-gold shawls; one man in white stands in the background. Kalasha pots wrapped in green leaves and yellow flower garlands sit in the foreground, and large decorated umbrellas and banana leaves frame the scene.2018-04-14