Idols are not Showpieces: Know Where and How to Place Your Idols!
We see people using the idols of gods as a showpiece. The idols of Ganesh are the most prominently used for decorative purposes. But it depends on where you are placing your deities. Many people place the Ganesh idol right at the entrance of the house in such a way that every time they step out of their house, they can seek his blessings, as he is known as the Vighnaharta. And this has been in practice in Sanatan Hindu households for ages and it is a matter of Astha that one cannot challenge. Earlier, clay idols were used; now you can find idols made of various materials.
But what if people use idols for decorative purposes, anywhere and everywhere? We often see people placing idols of Ganesh and other deities on tables or showcases, or as decorative items in their living room, and they put them in various places.
What many people do not know is that it is not right to place idols of our deities as a showpiece. Our deities are only for worship rather than a decorative item. In earlier times, we used to have idols made of wet clay, but over the years, people started using colours, and today, you will find idols available in a wide variety of materials and their magnificence has increased several times, which makes people use them as decoratives.
Why Idols Should Not Be Used as Showpieces?
Today, you will rarely find Gods’ or Goddesses’ idols made of clay; instead, you will find idols made of plastic, metals, POP, silver, stones, marbles, gold, glass, crystal, wood, etc. In addition, you will see markets full of photos, calendars, posters, etc.
Idols made from these materials are more beautiful, shining, artistic, durable and grand than ordinary ones made of clay. Usually, it is observed that people put idols, photos and calendars of gods and goddesses in their houses, offices and shops. They place these idols of deities in any place and in any direction, which is inappropriate.
Our deities are the source of positive and constructive energy. When you place the idols in a place like a decorative item, your veneration for the idols does not remain the same, which is definitely not the right thing to do. It is not right to place idols of our deities anywhere in your home, office, shop, etc. as a showpiece or a decorative item. Moreover, in Sanatan Hindu belief, traditionally, our deities are worshipped in a very pure way. We believe in cleaning ourselves, cleaning the area of worship, cleaning the house, wearing clean clothes and then sitting for puja with a clean mind. It is necessary to follow the rituals of purity and express our gratitude to our deities in a devout manner (ekagrachit or complete atma samarpan).
In recent years, there has been a trend of commercialization of idols of gods and goddesses on many occasions, especially during festivals. And we fail to control our desire to buy them. Not knowing the dos and don’ts of idol placement, we keep them at any place in our home or office. Additionally, even wedding and many other invitation cards have small plastic embossings of Ganesh or Lakshmi. Many people remove these plastic embossings and place them anywhere they love, like on the cupboard doors, cabinets, doors, fridge doors, study tables, etc. in our house, bathroom doors and we do not realise whether these are not the right place or not.
The Correct Place for our Idols as Per Vastu Shastra
According to Vastu Shastra, idols, photos, calendars, etc. of Gods and Goddesses should not be placed in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, gardens, etc. We should place our deity idols and photos only at the place of worship, be it our home or the office. A few dos and don’ts that we need to follow:-
- You should not place any deity idol larger than 6 inches in the place of worship in the house.
- Do not place or install a broken (idol/image) or torn photo of God or Goddesses in the home or office.
- Statues and photos should not be placed in a dirty, cluttered or unkept place.
- Make sure you take full care of the idols and do not neglect them after placing them.
- Do not keep idols of Shani dev, Bhairav dev, Rahu-Ketu, Nataraja in your house.
An idol of gods and goddesses, no matter what material (made of metal, plastic, glass, silver, and gold) is used to make them, is not a showpiece but a symbol of positive energy. Therefore, it is essential that we follow our customs and traditions of purity, reverence and devotion (swachhta, nishtha, shraddha, and bhakti) by keeping them in the right place.
