Of Lineage and Rituals
Mumbai, India, 2017
My cousin invited me to her Jain temple one day, where she was going to perform the nav-anga puja, which honors nine key parts of the body with sandalwood paste. Each part is associated with a particular spiritual aspiration, mantra, and intention. She gave me a tour of the temple first, and then we went to the man who was grating sandalwood against marble to make sandalwood paste for the ritual. The Adishwar-Ji temple in South Mumbai is stunning, and renowned for its intricately carved marble. The woman in the photo is performing the nav-anga puja, her feet bare, her plate filled with offerings and sandalwood paste. Mahatma Gandhi, who was born Hindu, was influenced by Jain doctrines, incorporating the Jain commitment to non-violence into his movement for India’s independence.
Of Lineage and Rituals
Mumbai, India, 2017
My cousin invited me to her Jain temple one day, where she was going to perform the nav-anga puja, which honors nine key parts of the body with sandalwood paste. Each part is associated with a particular spiritual aspiration, mantra, and intention. She gave me a tour of the temple first, and then we went to the man who was grating sandalwood against marble to make sandalwood paste for the ritual. The Adishwar-Ji temple in South Mumbai is stunning, and renowned for its intricately carved marble. The woman in the photo is performing the nav-anga puja, her feet bare, her plate filled with offerings and sandalwood paste. Mahatma Gandhi, who was born Hindu, was influenced by Jain doctrines, incorporating the Jain commitment to non-violence into his movement for India’s independence.
