Deity clothing

[Jainarayan]

I thought so too, they don't need clothing because it's already depicted. In the puja steps I use, it says you can offer cloth or akshata at that step. I was using akshata. Then I thought it would be nice to put a ribbon as a sash or decorative (not martial) baldric. Now I'm reconsidering the clothing, since his clothing is depicted on the statue.

These murthis definitely need clothing:

 

[Andal]

Vannakkam,

You can get srinagar for deities from a variety of websites (if you are in the west and don't have access to it in markets). The prices vary from affordable to extravagant . That is one path to go.

The other option as many have pointed out is to make your own. This can be an incredibly rewarding thing. I am saving up to get proper murtis (made of stone not clay as mine is now) one of the things that attracts me is the opportunity to make them clothing. That is a wonderful act of devotion and a great way to relax .

ultimately the deities don't need clothes (unless you get iskcon murtis) but it's a wonderful act of bhakti.

The final option is I've seen people just offer a square of nice cloth during the aarti.

No matter what you choose, it's the love that counts

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Kalidas]

You don't really have to clothe this Krishna. He is already wearing his clothes and ornaments. All dressed up to entice the 'gwala balas'. Personal opinion. Perhaps a garland around his neck and a few petals at his feet.

First that bit about your grandson is ADORABLE lol.

Next if the deity already has clothes you don't need to clothe them? This I did not know. My Kali murti looks exactly as you would expect a skirt of arms, no tops and a garland of skulls to cover her breasts. I normally add a cloth around her waist around the arms.

 

[Kalidas]

Vannakkam,

You can get srinagar for deities from a variety of websites (if you are in the west and don't have access to it in markets). The prices vary from affordable to extravagant . That is one path to go.

The other option as many have pointed out is to make your own. This can be an incredibly rewarding thing. I am saving up to get proper murtis (made of stone not clay as mine is now) one of the things that attracts me is the opportunity to make them clothing. That is a wonderful act of devotion and a great way to relax .

ultimately the deities don't need clothes (unless you get iskcon murtis) but it's a wonderful act of bhakti.

The final option is I've seen people just offer a square of nice cloth during the aarti.

No matter what you choose, it's the love that counts

Aum Hari Aum!

Agreed. Whether you offer an elegant gown made of silk, or a simple square of plain white cotton. It is literally "the thoughts that count".

 

[Quintessence]

Pardon a non-Hindu poking in here, but I find this practice fascinating and would love to learn more about it. Is adorning statuary a common worship/ritual practice in Hinduism? What more can you tell me about it? Are chosen adornments deliberately symbolic, or more like a personal aesthetic? What positive elements does the practice add to your devotions? What are some other books or resources I can consult to study it a bit on my own instead of pestering you guys with a billion questions about it?

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Is adorning statuary a common worship/ritual practice in Hinduism?

Yes, it is among the offerings during pûja ! But it's more a temple practice, some Hindus do it at home too, in their home shrines... It can vary from an offering of unbroken rice (akshata, instead of clothing) or a simple piece of cloth or a entire, elaborate dress.
It's a more common and elaborate practice in Vaishnav sects.

What more can you tell me about it?

I find it's a beautiful practice, it's a show of reverence and love, and also it makes the murti kind of more "alive".

Are chosen adornments deliberately symbolic, or more like a personal aesthetic?

Traditionally, some ornaments and clothes have symbolism attached to them. For exemple, there is a very strict set of rules for dressing Radha-Krishna deities, like the head covering, feather on turban, the direction of the flute and what Radha should hold in Her right hand, what jewellery to use at what time of the day etc... But this is more for ISKON actually. Usually female goddesses wear saree, there is symbolism with the color of the clothes for each godesses or time of the year... Lingam can also be dressed too, with white or saffron clothe tied to it's base...
These are all mainly practiced in temples. At home, people do it very simply usually and don't really bother so much rules.

What positive elements does the practice add to your devotions?

Focus, peace and devotion.

What are some other books or resources I can consult to study it a bit on my own instead of pestering you guys with a billion questions about it?

I'm not bothered at all personally XD
I don't have any book or anything that explain it in details... Soooorrrryyy ! Do you forgive me if I post beautiful pics instead ?

On a side note, there are other eastern religions (oddly, mostly folk or popular/local mysticism and paganism) where clothing God(s), Godess(es) or holy objects, places etc is common. For exemple, Shenism and Thai Buddhism:

 

[Kalidas]

Pardon a non-Hindu poking in here, but I find this practice fascinating and would love to learn more about it. Is adorning statuary a common worship/ritual practice in Hinduism? What more can you tell me about it? Are chosen adornments deliberately symbolic, or more like a personal aesthetic? What positive elements does the practice add to your devotions? What are some other books or resources I can consult to study it a bit on my own instead of pestering you guys with a billion questions about it?

I will try to answer based on what knowledge I have on the subject.

From what I know it is popular. Puja is the worship and connection with the deities mostly using a kind of spiritual focus of sorts pictures, idols, even fire. The idea is that the deities are called on to take up temporary residence in the small space the idol occupies. The idea of dressing, bathing, and offering is supposed to be us treating them as a guest in our house. So to clothe them is a very respectful and wonderful thing to do.

Personally I take a very symbolic and philosophical approach to much of what I do. Kali Maa has a skirt of arms to represent our actions, it is our actions that cover our mothers nakedness. So the clothing of the idol is symbolic(for me at least) of draping my mother in my actions. I need to remember that my actions ought to be worthy of being placed on the skin of this divine presence.

 

[Vinayaka]

Pardon a non-Hindu poking in here, but I find this practice fascinating and would love to learn more about it. Is adorning statuary a common worship/ritual practice in Hinduism? What more can you tell me about it? Are chosen adornments deliberately symbolic, or more like a personal aesthetic? What positive elements does the practice add to your devotions? What are some other books or resources I can consult to study it a bit on my own instead of pestering you guys with a billion questions about it?

We treat the deities as if they were kings and queens, royalty, and because of this the mystic connection operates better. They're real so we treat them, that way. Only the best for the Gods.

 

[Andal]

Just to continue you everyone has already said. It is a way of emotionally connecting us with the deity. Think of how tender the love must be to prepare clothing and dress the conduit of the deity's energy. It's a way of showing love and care. It makes the muftis seem more alive- a material reflection of the very alive energy coming through them.

Please feel free to ask questions

Aum Hari Aum!

More darshan of deities dressed.
Sri Sri Lakshmi Narayana in dress

Sri Sri Lakshmi Narayana in flower dress

Mother Durga at a devotees home

Laddu Gopala Krishna

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram jainarayan ji

I thought so too, they don't need clothing because it's already depicted. In the puja steps I use, it says you can offer cloth or akshata at that step. I was using akshata. Then I thought it would be nice to put a ribbon as a sash or decorative (not martial) baldric. Now I'm reconsidering the clothing, since his clothing is depicted on the statue.

These murthis definitely need clothing:

jai jai , ..sri sri Gaura Nitai , :namaste
...deffinately they need to be painted and to have clothing they can have simple dhoti and tunic sets ...or full outfits with pleated skirts over their tunic and trousers also with scarves


this is how our Deities came to us .....
with indian made outfits which were a little old when we received them and their scarves in this outfit are missing ....

when they came we made them new outfits but sadly I do not have many photographs (I dont realy like photographing the deities, only occasionaly when I feel that they dont mind) but I make the same style with tunics trousers and full pleated skirts , I usualy use the borders from elaborate saris allthough for the middle of a hot summer they have very simple Dhotis and Chadar , but for temple and festival days they wear the fancy outfits , it is our way of glorifying their lordships to dress them in a very opulent manner .
these clothing are removed at night when the deities are put to bed , ....in larger temples the Deities may be changed many times in one day , and dressed acording to the season . because it is cold here in the winter ours wear an extra Kashmiri style shawl on top of the full dresses because I do not want them to be cold . and in summer they have very simple Dhoti

we treat them as the most honoured guest in the house and offer them every comfort that we woud offer to the most honoured of guests this is why in our tradition the deities are offered food twice daily , and offered many small gifts and offerings , ..if I go in a sari shop my mind will automaticaly think to buy something for the deities first then for my self second , this way of serving the deities becomes a lifelong and beautifull duty and the longer one serves the more one thinks of the deitiy and of what serva one can offer to them ....

It doesn't matter how much one can spend on lavish clothing , but what is most important is the love that one puts into ones service .

one summer I made a whole set of outfits for all of the deities from one sari , if you use the borders imaginatively you can dress them very beautifully without great expence .

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram andal ji

Just to continue you everyone has already said. It is a way of emotionally connecting us with the deity. Think of how tender the love must be to prepare clothing and dress the conduit of the deity's energy. It's a way of showing love and care. It makes the muftis seem more alive- a material reflection of the very alive energy coming through them.


Aum Hari Aum!

jai jai , this is very much so , when you spend time with the deities aspecialy prepairing them for a festival or even daily arti you are spending this very private and beautifull time in service and receiving the most special close darshan .

Laddu Gopala Krishna

jai jai , He is so sweet thank you for his beautifull darshan

is he your Gopal ji

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram Quintessence ji

Pardon a non-Hindu poking in here, but I find this practice fascinating and would love to learn more about it. Is adorning statuary a common worship/ritual practice in Hinduism? What more can you tell me about it? Are chosen adornments deliberately symbolic, or more like a personal aesthetic? What positive elements does the practice add to your devotions? What are some other books or resources I can consult to study it a bit on my own instead of pestering you guys with a billion questions about it?

please please feel free to ask , it is a massive subject and each tradition will have some different practices I am sure we will all learn more about each others traditions ...and the more pictures we post the more darshans we receive ...

in our tradition there are very strict rules about dressing the Deities ,and about dressing and aranging the Shrine and prepairing for the Arti , and also about the prepaairation of the offerings (but there is also room for personal devotion to express itself )Deity dressing is just one aspect of a very precice Ritual .

there are a lot of different colours used for different personalities , different incarnations , also different festivals can be dressed differently , there is always a story behind each or these things so every time one prepairs for a particular occasion one is thinking about why , and as one is thinking of the story , one is becoming more and more familiar with what we call lila (a particular passtime which is being enacted) so we come closer in our understanding of the deity by participating in this service.

so yes in many respects this is a very specific science , a process by which one moves closer to an understanding of the Deity , but mean while we must not forget that this deity is god , ...it is a very special relationship , and a very great privilage .

 

[Aupmanyav]

These murthis definitely need clothing.

If they were Sanatkumaras, they would not require any clothing other than the lion-cloth. Many a times brahmins performing the rituals will just put a thread on the shoulders of the deity saying 'vastram samarpayami'. After all, it is all symbolic.

They're real so we treat them, that way.

We treat them even when they get ill. Jagannatha of Puri and Rath Yatra is one example. Due to bathing so many times in the day, the Lord finally catches cold. So he leaves the temple, goes to his aunt's place. A doctor is called and he prepares a herbal brew which the God is supposed to take. In a week's time, the deity is ready again for his rigors.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Next if the deity already has clothes you don't need to clothe them? This I did not know. My Kali murti looks exactly as you would expect a skirt of arms, no tops and a garland of skulls to cover her breasts. I normally add a cloth around her waist around the arms.

With what do we clothe Mother Kali? As you know she wears a skirt of arms.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Is adorning statuary a common worship/ritual practice in Hinduism?

It is part of the ritual, sixteen steps (Shodasha Upachara). Essential. It is like providing all comforts to a honored guest who comes at your request (first step - avahana - invoking). I do not know about the more detailed 64-step 'puja' (worship - Puja (Hinduism) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

 

[Aupmanyav]

Andal, your 'laddu Gopala' (Child Krishna) is beautiful; and so are your 'Radha-Krishna', Ratikala.

 

[Vinayaka]

Due to bathing so many times in the day, the Lord finally catches cold. So he leaves the temple, goes to his aunt's place.

I did not know that. I did know that the temple (and by inference the deity within it) is moody. Sometimes He's electric, sometimes He's calming, etc.

 

[Andal]

Andal, your 'laddu Gopala' (Child Krishna) is beautiful; and so are your 'Radha-Krishna', Ratikala.

Vannakkam Aupmanyav,

The beautiful Laddu Gopala isn't mine. Found him in google images Thank you though.

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram Aupmanyav ji

Andal, your 'laddu Gopala' (Child Krishna) is beautiful; and so are your 'Radha-Krishna', Ratikala.

I have not posted 'Radha Krsna ' ........

these are Sri Caitanya Mahaprabu and Prabhu Nityananda known afectionately as their lordships ...

although to Gaudia vaisnava Sri Caitanya is considered to be krsna in hidden form come in the guise of his own devotee , to give the chanting of the holy name ...

Sri Caitanya is to the right and prabhu Nityananda to the left . they allways appear with their hands raised as they are chanting and dancing , ....they are allways seen leading sankirtana . congregational chanting

Radha allways holds her hands one down and one raised towards Krsna (often she is offering him a garland or a flower ) Krsna stands to her right and Krsna allways appears playing a flute ....

these beautifull Radha krsna are in Vrindarvan .

sometimes her hand is raised as in the bestowing of blessings...

 

[ratikala]

his is a slightly more respectfull depiction favoured by some temples where a less personal aspect of Radha Krsna is displayed

this is typical of Swami Naryana temples where the Deities are beautifully dressed in very traditional manner but allways most correct , Radha is still holding flowers to offer Krsna in the other hand this depiction is a litle less personal Radha Krsna are giving Darshan .

in some more personal depictions Radha is shown turned slightly towards Krsna in this mood they are enjoying a more private lila .