Gallery

Portraits, discourses, ceremonies and processions. Every photograph is shown whole, uncropped, at its own proportions. Select any image to enlarge it.

16Photographs

Swami Sadanand Saraswati seated on a sofa in saffron robes, holding a danda, garlanded with red and white flowers, before a saffron backdrop with Om, with his name in Devanagari at the foot — **Seated portrait.** In saffron, holding the danda, with his name in Devanagari beneath.

Two acharyas in saffron on ornate gold and silver thrones leaning together in conversation, surrounded by attendants and marigold garlands — **Ceremonial assembly.** Acharyas on thrones of gold and silver.

Close portrait of Swami Sadanand Saraswati speaking into a microphone, wearing garlands of marigold and rudraksha — **At a discourse.** Garlanded, speaking into a microphone.

Swami Sadanand Saraswati walking barefoot on rose petals in a saffron robe with a garland of red roses, followed by a young monk — **On a path of petals.** Walking barefoot on a path strewn with rose petals.

The Shankaracharya on a silver throne beneath a gold-embroidered parasol, attended by sannyasis holding a silver staff — **The chhatra and the asana.** Seated on a silver throne beneath a golden parasol at a large gathering.

Swami Sadanand Saraswati standing in a saffron shawl with a danda before a decorated shrine of the Goddess — **Before the shrine.** Standing before a decorated image of the Goddess.

Swami Sadanand Saraswati speaking into a handheld microphone from a carved wooden chair, garlanded with red roses — **Pravachan.** Speaking from a carved wooden chair.

The Shankaracharya raising a hand in blessing from a silver throne beneath a gold parasol on a flower-decked float — **In procession.** Raising a hand in blessing beneath the chhatra.

Three sannyasis with dandas standing before a garlanded statue of Adi Shankaracharya — **Before Adi Shankaracharya.** Dandi sannyasis at a shrine of the founder of the order.

Swami Sadanand Saraswati seated with a garland of red roses while young disciples in saffron and yellow stand behind him — **The next generation.** Young brahmacharis stand behind the acharya's seat.

Swami Sadanand Saraswati in spectacles and rudraksha seated on an ornate silver throne with lion armrests and marigold garlands — **The silver asana.** Seated on a throne flanked by silver lions.

The Shankaracharya seated on a carved throne with lion figures at night while devotees sit before him and one addresses him — **Evening satsang.** Devotees gather before the acharya's seat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presenting books to the Shankaracharya before a gold-leaf backdrop with orchids — **With Prime Minister Narendra Modi.** The Prime Minister presents a set of books.

The Shankaracharya smiling on a silver throne under a maroon and gold parasol with a garlanded devotee beside him — **Beneath the chhatra.** With a devotee at a public reception.

Newspaper photograph of sannyasis presenting a framed memento to a garlanded guest below a Devanagari banner — **From the press.** A felicitation beneath a banner bearing his name.

The Shankaracharya seated beneath a ceremonial parasol raising his hand in blessing to a visiting family with a small child, all dressed in white — **Receiving visitors.** Blessing a visiting family beneath the ceremonial parasol.

About these photographs

The captions describe only what can be seen. Where the date or place of a photograph could not be confirmed, none is given. If you hold rights to an image here, or can supply its date and setting, please get in touch.