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Hey guys, I just found the following link (with a photo) that brought to mind a question or two of interest to me and my research: www.mediabharti.com/ENG7.HTM
Now, forgetting for a moment that these deities may have been ceromoniously placed here, is there a tradition or a practice contained with Hindu scripture dealing with any dessecratrion of the deities (ie. their physical or corporeal substance in the form of a gorgious statue or image*)?! What is done to the dessecrated deity? Is there soem ritual to appease the god or goddess? How--if at all--is the lovely statue disposed of, in place of a new one? And, of course, any substantive literature to hunt down on this subject would be greatly appreciated! :o) Now, I am rather loosely defining "dessecration"--it could be intentional OR accidental. Within some cultures, such as Egypt, it is believed that by destroying the statue of a deity, the god or goddess in question is banished from the image or their temple, or even their house. I would like to see if Hindus have a similar believe contained within their own scriptures (I can't see that they WOULDN'T if their believe, as many cultures do, that the deity inhabits their image and becomes a living god/dess!) Moreover, I have HEARD that the Muslims sacked India and destroyed their temples and preasious idols during the Middle Ages, but I haven't found any substantive evidence to support this. But, of course, I am NO Historian of India, I'm afraid. Though, I wouldn't put it past 'em, because many earlier temples from other cultures were eventually turned into Mosques, such as a Temple to Anahita and Isis, respectively. It's a shame what monotheistic religions have done to the world when they attempted to shape it in their religious zeal. <sigh>
Now, I would also love to investigate a practice that I sometimes see on television in India: at certain festivals some deity-statues are sometimes lead, via procession, to a river (the Ganges?) where they are placed into the water and let to drift along its currents. This has always arroused my curriousity! And, of course, any known, specific, Hindu scripture describing such specific acts is also of interest to me. ;o)
Of course, this photo also brings another question to mind: Why would worshippers abandon a deity, only to allow them to rot (if that is what they were actually doing in this photo, or if ANY Hindu would actually do such a thing at all).
* Hmmm...I mustn't forget, also, that some Hindus employ a framed photograph of a deity as they burn incense to him or her, as I once observed of the Hijras in a documentary a few years ago (I wish I had taped it, darn it, 'cause it was fascinating). Oh, I also have to remember to investigate the "milk miracle" of Ganesha, too, for my article! Ugh...I sware, the gods haven't made enough sticky notes! LOL!
Take Care,
Wade
Now, forgetting for a moment that these deities may have been ceromoniously placed here, is there a tradition or a practice contained with Hindu scripture dealing with any dessecratrion of the deities (ie. their physical or corporeal substance in the form of a gorgious statue or image*)?! What is done to the dessecrated deity? Is there soem ritual to appease the god or goddess? How--if at all--is the lovely statue disposed of, in place of a new one? And, of course, any substantive literature to hunt down on this subject would be greatly appreciated! :o) Now, I am rather loosely defining "dessecration"--it could be intentional OR accidental. Within some cultures, such as Egypt, it is believed that by destroying the statue of a deity, the god or goddess in question is banished from the image or their temple, or even their house. I would like to see if Hindus have a similar believe contained within their own scriptures (I can't see that they WOULDN'T if their believe, as many cultures do, that the deity inhabits their image and becomes a living god/dess!) Moreover, I have HEARD that the Muslims sacked India and destroyed their temples and preasious idols during the Middle Ages, but I haven't found any substantive evidence to support this. But, of course, I am NO Historian of India, I'm afraid. Though, I wouldn't put it past 'em, because many earlier temples from other cultures were eventually turned into Mosques, such as a Temple to Anahita and Isis, respectively. It's a shame what monotheistic religions have done to the world when they attempted to shape it in their religious zeal. <sigh>
Now, I would also love to investigate a practice that I sometimes see on television in India: at certain festivals some deity-statues are sometimes lead, via procession, to a river (the Ganges?) where they are placed into the water and let to drift along its currents. This has always arroused my curriousity! And, of course, any known, specific, Hindu scripture describing such specific acts is also of interest to me. ;o)
Of course, this photo also brings another question to mind: Why would worshippers abandon a deity, only to allow them to rot (if that is what they were actually doing in this photo, or if ANY Hindu would actually do such a thing at all).
* Hmmm...I mustn't forget, also, that some Hindus employ a framed photograph of a deity as they burn incense to him or her, as I once observed of the Hijras in a documentary a few years ago (I wish I had taped it, darn it, 'cause it was fascinating). Oh, I also have to remember to investigate the "milk miracle" of Ganesha, too, for my article! Ugh...I sware, the gods haven't made enough sticky notes! LOL!
Take Care,
Wade
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