Hindu Stone Gods! - Part 2

Many in the western culture when they come to India, have a difficulty in understanding the way the Hindu’s adore Gods in the forms of statues. How in heaven can there be any form, any divine presence in a piece of stone or even more so in a Lingam? (Ask me what it is) You must have noticed how uneasy some of the tourists look when they are in a temple. It reminds them of their childhood memories of stories of how Christian Missionaries had to battle these superstitious beliefs in idols (the word idolatry implies that which is worshipped blindly, in a certain un-Cartesian manner).

Yet, a few westerners instead of rejecting outright this “pagan” ritual that the Hindus have for millenniums of adoring stone gods, have tried to analyze it, using this very Cartesian reason and logic with which we are endowed, thanks to our education. One such person was Alexandra Davi-Neel, famous writer explorer, spiritualist and the first woman to have penetrated Tibet. In her book, “India as I saw it” (1951), she remarks “The energy which the Hindu’s project on the idol is not totally immaterial. It could be assimilated to a subtle substance which is impregnated with the thoughts, desires and images of the seekers”. And she elaborates further “The existence, real or not, of the deity represented has no importance, what matters is the accumulation of the psychic forces in the statue”. Thus, she continues “Images of Gods are fulfilling a function similar to what electricity does to a car battery. In this particular case, it is the adoration of the devotees, which charges the statues. And once fully charged, one can draw energy out of it, because like a battery, the status will not get empty if one continues to charge it with energy through concentration, prayer and aspirations of the faithful. And Mrs. Neel concludes “It is thus that an idol which has been adored for centuries by believers is now charged with a considerable sum of energy due to the repetition of the incalculable acts of devotion, during which the faith, imagination, aspirations, desires of untold crowds of believers that have been directed to ward the image of their divinity”. Her wrapping up of the subject is very simple: Gods are thus created by the energy emitted by the faith in their existence.

I go to temples quite regularly (once a month). I go early because I have grown up with the knowledge that going early is considered to be the best time. I have no idea what is the real reason behind it. Before entering a temple, you must be clean. So a shower and wearing fresh clothes or in some cases fresh sarong (we call it “veshti” – way-shh-tee). Until I was reading about the logical premise of a Hindu God, I had never questioned about what makes a temple such a peaceful place. I get the feeling that there is something in the air that makes you relax, gets you to put your thoughts in order and an untold aura that seems to be present. I get a similar feeling in a church or a mosque and I have to many a mass and Friday prayers to know this. I would think no one would consciously think ill thoughts in the house of god and hence you are giving out positive vibes which probably is what it is all about.

There is a temple in South India in a place called Tirupati. This houses a god by the name of Venkateswara. This is probably the richest temple in the world. On an average, they collect daily 30K to 100K $ of donations a day. There have been instances where devotees have left gold bars (10 or 20), diamonds, and briefcase full of cash. This money is used for maintenance and development of the region, and to feed the millions who make a visit. As a ritual, once you go, you have to shave your head off. I have done it once when I was 8 years old. Believe me, I was crying my eyes out. And for my troubles, I got my head whacked by my classmates. And for 2 months I wore a cap even to bed. Next time someone you know wears a wig then the chances are the hair comes from Tirupati.