This sign instructs those (probably of younger generations) who need a reminder how to worship (from right to left): "First you bow twice with back bent to ninety degrees and head lowered. Then you clap your hands twice at chest level. Then bow one last time."
This ema, written in an accomplished calligraphic style, reads, " For the curing of illness -- [Name] -- December 26, 1957. Please, somehow, help."
People leave offerings for the spirits during the Hungry Ghost Festival along public sidewalks.
A celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival sign
The spirits can visit this shopping center to obtain offerings.
This woman is adding more offerings to this collection.
The ashes of the burnt offerings are covering the grass.
As described in image 000058, this young boy has been brought to the Hachiman Shrine in Morioka, for the celebration of Shichigosan, Seven-five-three Day, when prayers are offered for the good fortune of girls who are seven or three years old and for boys who are five years old. This young lad, hoping that his father takes the photo quickly, because the sun in his eyes is bright, is dressed in his best formal traditional dress.
These are folded pieces of paper with printed fortunes or prayers on them, obtained at the local shrine. They are tied here and left at the Shinto shrine in the hope that the kami of the shrine will help to make the fortune come true or help to fulfill the prayer.
Detail of the central bay of the Kanjodo at Muroji, showing part of the public portion of the hall. Included in the photo are the large vessel in which one may place a stick of lighted incense, the wooden offeratory box to the right of the incense vessel, and the container of sticks for fortunes on the right (see image ecasia000035).
These two metal baskets used for the child weighing ritual are connected by a thick rope positioned over the strong limb of a tree in the courtyard of the dargah. [For description of the ritual, see cbind0043.]
Passages from the Qur'an are used as decorations and as reminders of the presence of God in homes and in public places, as well as in mosques.
A senior qawwali singer is joined by other men to sing qawwals in praise of God, the Prophet, and Sufi saints. This was an impromptu qawwali performed with men who happened to be at the dargah.
As noted in the description for Bhajan singing 1, audience members as well as singers are wrapped in woolen shawls enjoying the devotional songs in the winter night air.
Left corner: Shinto priest offering prayers of celebration (norito) to the gods. Right: Fires to be used at shrines is created the natural way. Top: Miko (shrine maidens) originally played an intercessionary role between man and the dieties, reaying the divine will. Here they assist a wedding.
Colored ink or paint on paper, 12 3/4 inch circle. Detail of interior circle with inscription describing the various 'seas' that move outward from the central image.
Just outside the main entrance gate is a makeshift tree (constructed because the natural tree was full!) of long, thin hanging wooden dowels, on which many white paper fortune strips (mikuji) are folded.
The Great Pagoda (Daito) is the most striking structure within the Garan complex in the western central part of Koyasan. The pagoda stands over 150 feet tall (48.5 meters). These pilgrims, who travel as a group in their white garb and are accompanied by priests in black robes, pray before the entrance of the pagoda toward the huge Buddha images inside.
Two men are setting this stage for the celebration of the Hungry Ghost festival.
Three men burn paper offerings during the Hungry Ghost Festival
Fresh fruit is offered to the spirits.
This man is preparing to burn paper offerings.
A printed prayer or fortune, an omikuji , obtained at a shrine or a temple, may be tied to a line or, often, to a branch, in effect, as a prayer to the deity of the shrine or temple, seeking their aid in bringing it true. This line of such fortunes is at Muroji, a Buddhist temple in the countryside in Nara Prefecture. Although they are most commonly seen at Shinto shrines, this group is at a Buddhist temple. Keywords: omikuji , fortune see also: ecasia000035, 000059
At this shrine, couples pray to the saint, Zar Zari Zar Baksh, for his help in conceiving a healthy child. When the child is old enough, the couples promise tol return and make an offering of thanksgiving. This ritual consists of distributing sweetbreads equal in weight to that of the child. To determine this weight, two metal crates are balanced by a rope hanging over the limb of a large tree in the courtyard of the dargah. Often travelling from great distances, families dress in their finest clothes and bring many family members to share in this festive celebratory ritual.
This child in her finest dress and blud scarf sits patiently in the metal crate of the balance as she is weighed against the bags of sweetbreads to be distributed to the community. Following a custom widely practiced in all religious communities in South Asia, the girl, as the primary participant in the ritual, wears a garland of fresh flowers.
