January 15 2011 - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

January 15 2011

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January 15 2011

Outdoor Pongal celebration in Tiruvannamalai with a row of seated devotees in white on the left and a group of attendees in front. Two saffron-robed figures stand near a raised platform in the centre, one wearing an orange shawl. Several men in white dhotis and shirts stand around the platform. Behind them are rows of black clay pots and kalasha vessels, banana plants and colourful balloons decorate the site, and a hill with trees rises in the background. A red and white banner hangs on a pole at left.

Outdoor Pongal festival ceremony in a open ground with banana plants and small trees decorated with colourful balloons in pink, purple, orange and yellow. Several people in white dhotis and shirts, some with yellow shawls, stand and sit on a raised white and red platform near a shrine-like setup. A saffron-robed figure stands at the platform, and a standing man in white with a yellow shawl is at the left edge. Rows of seated devotees in white clothes sit on a large cream cloth on bare ground, with a crowd of seated people further back under trees.

Outdoor photograph of a ritual gathering in an open courtyard framed by coconut palms. In the foreground a seated audience of about thirty people sits on mats, mostly women in white and cream clothing with some in orange and patterned saris. Beyond them, a dozen or so people sit cross-legged in meditation on circular raised platforms of stone and sand, many in white, with several in saffron-orange robes. A tall copper-coloured flagpole or pillar rises at right beside a white-washed altar structure, and a red-and-white striped stage edge sits in front. A standing figure in white is visible in the background. Small fire or incense plumes rise near the seated rows.

Outdoor homa gathering under a open-sided pavilion decorated with banana plants and hanging mango leaves. Many seated devotees sit on woven straw mats with blue borders, mostly women in white and colourful saris, some in red, orange and teal. Several men in white shirts and dhotis sit and stand among them. Small fire pits with burning flames sit on brick bases in front, with fruit, flower offerings and brass plates arranged nearby. A man in a white shirt stands at the right edge. No clearly identifiable a person figure is visible.

Outdoor satsang on a sandy ground beside a red-orange shrine platform with dark stone deity murtis, a bull (nandi) figure draped in a yellow-and-orange garland, and a tall orange pillar with garlands; palm trees and a red-and-white printed banner stand behind. A central figure in saffron-orange robes and a rudraksha mala sits cross-legged on a mat with hands raised in a teaching gesture, a person by swept-back hair and saffron robes, but only partly confirmed by appearance. Around him, many seated people in white dhotis and white kurtas, some bald and some with beards, sit on woven mats; women in white and pastel saris and western clothes sit to the left. A man in white stands at the front, another bends to light an offering, and smoke rises from a small fire pit near a kolam-decorated space with flower offerings.

June 18 2010

Outdoor ritual in a courtyard decorated with banana plants, orange and yellow pennants, and painted panels, with a red-carpeted platform with red and white striped base. Seated devotees in white clothing and a woman in a white and gold sari stand at a fire pit where smoke rises, while others pour offerings from bowls of fruit and flowers. Several people sit on mats and carpets watching, including a woman in a red and orange shawl and a person in white with a long plait. A red-and-orange cushioned seat sits at the side. Appears to be a homa or puja during the Jayanti Brahmotsavam celebrations at Bidadi, with a person in white and orange on the upper platform.

Outdoor homa ceremony under a corrugated metal canopy decorated with banana plants and leafy garlands. Many devotees sit cross-legged on woven straw mats with blue and purple stripes, most in white clothing with some in red, orange, pink and teal saris. A fire pit with smoke rises at the front left, tended by men in white, with offerings of fruit, flowers and red items nearby. Standing men in white shirts and a woman in pink observe along the back. A woman with curly hair in a turquoise shawl sits in the foreground. A large crowd fills the frame, and several white-clad figures in front of the fire appear to be officiating.

July 11 2006

Outdoor photograph of a homa or yagna ceremony on a raised red-and-white striped platform under palm trees. Several orange-robed priests and practitioners sit cross-legged on orange cloths around a white square fire pit with a dark central hearth. A tall ornate pillar stands behind a white plinth topped with a seated stone statue draped in a garland. Rows of seated people in white and yellow clothing sit on the sandy ground in front of the platform. A seated figure on the right wears an orange cloth beside a floral garland and an orange cushion, and a brass lamp stands near the fire pit.

Outdoor fire ritual under a open pavilion with palm fronds and a blue backdrop, where many devotees in white clothes sit on the sand-covered ground around small stone fire pits. A man in front left wears an orange cloth over his shoulder and a rudraksha mala, and a woman in a light blue sari with a gold border sits with hands folded near a fire pit with flames. Several women wear white saris with gold borders, and a few men wear white kurtas with mala beads. Brass vessels, a water bottle and offering dishes sit on the pits. A small figure with a visible crown-like headdress is seen at the far upper stage, but the appearance is too uncertain to attribute. Participants appear to be attending a homa/yagna with fire offerings.