Hindu Temple Worship—BYU Museum of Art "Loving Devotion"

Each day at dawn and dusk, devotees gather at the Krishna Temple in the vibrant coastal city of Vishakhapatnam, India to worship Vishnu’s beloved avatar. The Hindu priest (pujari begins the ceremony (puja) by invoking the deities through a sacred flame (aarti), ringing a bell (ghanti) and waving a conch shell (sankha). The priest offers jasmine garlands and fresh mangoes as gifts to the deity and then fans the devotional icon (murti)—where the deity is now present—with a flywhisk (chamara/chauri), emblematic of the royal status of divinity. By caring for the gods in physical form, worshippers demonstrate their total love and devotion (bhakti).

As the pujari performs puja, worshipers sing devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna and prostrate themselves in prayer. The most auspicious moment ensues as devotees approach the altar to share a mutual gaze with deity (darshan)—a blessing that deepens and strengthens the relationship between God and his followers. The pujari distributes food (prasad) and water (theertham) among the devotees, which God has blessed through his powerful sight. A sacred vessel (shatagopam) is then placed by the pujari upon the heads of devotees, symbolic of their complete submission to the will of the divine. The ritual concludes with worshippers, both young and old, circumambulating the altar (parikrama) in recognition of God as the center of their thoughts and actions.

This video is part of the "Loving Devotion" exhibition at the BYU Museum of Art. http://lovingdevotion.byu.edu/

All photographs and videos have been provided by Entrepid Productions with support from Andrew Hair, Daniel King, and Garth Pratt.