November 27 2006 - Nithyanandapedia

Nithyanandapedia

November 27 2006

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Inside a plain cream-walled hall with a corrugated roof, a group of men walks past a large ash-filled stone fire pit ringed with lotus-petal carving. Behind it stands a gold-coloured canopied shrine with a seated figure, garlanded with flower strings. On the right, a man in orange robes with long swept-back hair and a rudraksha mala, plus a dhoti-clad companion in a red checked shawl, lead others in white and orange attire. Two dark cattle stand at a feeding trough and sacks of firewood lie nearby.

A photograph of an indoor hall with a polished floor where a man with long dark swept-back hair, wearing a saffron-orange dhoti-style wrap, a gold necklace and a red tilak, walks forward at centre. Around him, several men in white dhotis with red-bordered edges and bare upper bodies, some wearing orange shawls, stand or sit on orange cloths. Oil lamps, brass plates and small bowls sit on the floor. Behind them a large white screen hangs on the wall, a white board stands on an easel, and at right a gilded throne with red cushions is placed on an orange-draped platform beside a video camera on a tripod and a monitor. Gold-and-orange fabric hangs from the ceiling at top. Approximately 10 people are visible.

November 23 2010

A photograph of a homa ritual in a white-walled hall with a brick fire pit in the foreground. A young woman in orange clothing and a white and red flower garland bends over the pit, hands extended toward the fire. Around her, seated and standing devotees wear white garments and orange shawls. Two long silver ceremonial staffs stand at left, a brass lamp sits at lower right, and a deity murti draped in a yellow garland and orange cloth is at upper right, with a standing man in white and orange hands folded beside it. A pedestal fan stands in the middle of the room.

A photograph of a ritual gathering indoors on a tiled floor. A man in an orange saffron robe with a long rudraksha mala and a red tilak on his forehead stands centre-right, smiling with one hand raised in a gesture of blessing. Around him, men in white dhotis and shawls with white sandalwood or ash markings on their foreheads and arms stand with palms pressed together in namaskar, and one holds a silver plate with a lit aarti lamp. Behind them, a large framed picture of a temple deity and an ornate golden throne-like backdrop are visible, with a camera on a tripod and mats and brass vessels on the floor. Five people are visible, dressed in white, orange and red-bordered dhotis.

Outdoor ritual scene with palm trees behind. In the centre, a young man in a saffron-orange robe with a long rudraksha mala and a red-orange tilak walks past a small fire pit with smoke and a clay pot and brass bowl on the ground. Behind him, several men in white dhotis and kurtas, some with yellow sashes and orange shawls, stand with palms pressed together in prayer or with hands folded. To the left, a black Nandi bull statue garlanded with white and red flowers sits on a white plinth. The ground is bare earth with scattered ash piles.

A photograph of a homa ritual in a whitewashed room with an orange curtain at the window. A central figure in an orange robe with a white and red flower garland stands beside a brick fire pit with a large flame rising from it, while a long-haired person in an orange shawl, possibly a person candidate with long swept-back hair, a garland and orange robes, stands at the centre. Around the pit, devotees in white clothes with orange shawls kneel and stand, one holding a ritual staff with gold detailing and another holding a brass vessel. A brass lamp stands at the right edge, a standing fan is behind, and a man in white with an orange shawl stands at the far right raising his hand near his forehead.

A photograph of a homa fire ritual inside a hall with a tiled floor covered in woven mats. A square brick fire pit with a burning flame sits in the centre. A man in an orange robe with a shawl stands at the pit, while a woman in a purple sari with a shawl nearby assists with offerings. Around them, priests in dark red and orange dhotis wear rudraksha and gold-bead necklaces, and others wear white dhotis. On the right, an ornate golden-and-red deity palanquin or altar stands with a lion figure and offering trays of lit lamps.

A photograph of a ritual scene in a hall with a glossy floor, a projector screen and a blue-grey curtain at the back. A central figure with long swept-back dark hair, a red bindi, a saffron-orange garment and multiple gold-toned beaded necklaces walks forward, carrying a folded orange cloth in his hands and a white tray. Around him, men in white dhotis with red-bordered shawls sit or stand on orange mats; one palms together in greeting. Brass and copper plates with offerings lie on the floor. At right, a gilded golden throne with a red cushion stands on a draped orange table beside cameras on tripods. Men in white and yellow ritual dress attend.

September 14 2015

September 14 2015

A homa ritual in a whitewashed hall with orange bunting and an orange cloth canopy. In the centre, a man in an orange robe with a white and orange flower garland stands over a brick-lined fire pit, holding a lit flame. Around him, men in white dhotis and orange shawls kneel and stand, some holding tall gold-topped staffs and ceremonial rods. Brass bowls, fruit, flowers and leaves are laid out on a mat in the foreground. At right, a man in white stands beside a decorated deity murti under an ornate umbrella, while a tray of fruit and a brass lamp sit nearby. A ceiling fan is visible. Approximately ten people are visible.