ఇంట్లో దేవుళ్ళ ఫోటోలు: ఉండవలసినవి, ఉండకూడనివి | Idol worship at home: Do's and don'ts! | Manchimata

Unlike other religions, Hindus believe in idolatry, worshiping of an idol or a physical object as an embodiment of God. For them setting up a temple or puja room inside house, is a devotional pathway to connect with their God.

To them, God is the manifestation of endless strength and power that motivates them to keep going in their lives. Faith in God not only helps us overcome difficulties, but also instills fear that keeps us from doing evil.

Read on to know about concerns in regard to building a temple inside home and ideal number of idols that must be kept for auspicious effect.

Going by Hindu shastras, every household must place a temple or build a puja room, and certain set of rules must be followed for idol worshiping or else await reverse effect. Never construct or place a temple inside the bedroom of a couple, instead dedicate a separate room or space around the house (East facing would be ideal).

Kitchen is considered the purest place inside home, as everything is clean and hygienic. But, most households keep their dustbins inside Kitchen area, which makes it a strict no-zone for placing a temple.

Reason is simple, we never engage in sexual activity in the presence of the elders or kids in family, then how can that be done in front of God. Did you ever hear about such activities happening in temples or any religious places outside your home? Also, all the smoke while preparing food would reach the temple, if kept inside Kitchen or directly opposite it. So, avoid it at any cost. Those who live in 2-storey or high-rise building, should avoid placing their temple or creating a puja room beneath the toilet area, or adjacent it.

Can you go without bathing and cleaning yourself, for a week? Then, how can you keep the most sacred area of your house unclean? If not daily, then regular cleaning and bathing or idols or photos of Gods and Goddess must be done. We bet, you never see a religious place, dirty, have you?

Temple is a sacred place of worship, thus placing it near unhygienic area is not only disrespectful, but also a sin. Many of us may have a makeshift temple in our homes, and whenever we leave for long holidays, we tend to lock, either the mandir or the puja room behind us. This shouldn’t be done, as it blocks the flow of propitious energy around the house. There is a reason why home is different from temple; and why temple can be a part of home, but home can never be a part of temple! Because, home is a place to live and enjoy materialistic world, so it is a materialistic thing, where else a temple is sacred.

One must remember that the divine trinity of Lords- Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are considered supreme; hence all the other portraits or idols of Gods must be kept beneath them.

One can keep endless number of Idols and photos of Gods and Goddess inside a temple, but for a ‘mandir’ within home, there are certain limitations. Check them out in our video… One must never keep idols or portraits of Lord Krishna with Radha and Rukmini/Meera, Lord Karthikeya with two wives Valli and Devasena, and Lord Ganesha with Riddhi and Siddhi. It is believed that keeping them would create discord and disharmony in martial life.