How expensive are Murthis?

[StarryNightshade]

Others have answered, but I would like to reiterate that plastic and resin deities are the cheapest; while metal and wood deities are usually the most most expensive.

All of mine are some form of metal, and it cost me a few hundred dollars to acquire them.

With that said, if statues are too expensive, I would recommend framed pictures or Icons of the deities to start out with.

 

[Kirran]

In reference to the livelihoods issue - I once read a story about a man whose job was making murtis, in brass I think. His father had done the same, and his father, etc as far back as anyone could remember. But his son had decided to go and study information technology in the University of Bengaluru. The father fortunately accepted that this is what his son wanted to do.

Sometimes these family careers change because people get the freedom to do stuff more fitting their inclinations and tendencies, it's not intrinsically a bad thing.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Traditional art brings more profit to the middlemen or shopkeepers than to the artisans. That is why people change professions. One great loss has been weaving in India.

 

[Kirran]

Traditional art brings more profit to the middlemen or shopkeepers than to the artisans. That is why people change professions. One great loss has been weaving in India.

Ah, that makes sense. A shame.

Of course, let's remember this man's son may have just been more interested in computer technology - many factors at play.

 

[Aupmanyav]

That is why even the sons of most brahmins also have left the business of conducting rituals. It does not pay enough. In my community there is none, not even one, so we have to ask a pandit from some other community (please note I belong to a 'karma-kandi' Kashmiri brahmin family. We used to conduct rituals for other Kashmiri brahmins).

 

[Kirran]

Well, I support brahmin as a choice as opposed to a birthright.

If my father was a doctor, would that qualify me to operate on you?

 

[Aupmanyav]

Samskaras, Kirran. Brahmin children get used to this right from the childhood. Otherwise nothing technically to bar a Shudra or a woman from performing a ritual if he/she has been trained - equal opportunity thing. It is not necessary in India for a priest to be a brahmin anymore. So has the Supreme Court ruled. Many temples have non-brahmin priests. Every evening before going to sleep my four and a half old grandson recites 'Trayambakam yajamahe ..' and "Ya kundendu tusharhar ..' etc. I wanted to record his voice and put the audio in RF.

Even I used to do that. I do not know whether he will turn out to be a theist or an atheist like me.

https://www.google.co.in/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=non-brahmin priests&es_th=1

 

[Chakra]

Well, I support brahmin as a choice as opposed to a birthright.

If my father was a doctor, would that qualify me to operate on you?

You would actually be trained surgery or whichever medical field your father was involved in from birth. It's not like a Kshatriya's son will have amazing warrior skills ingrained in his genetics; he'd have to be taught everything to make sure he grows up to be like his father.