Hallo GCs,
If you are from India, you will be knowing Ganesh Chthurthi is on 7th September. Here, we are trying to celebrate and are seaerching for an idol. Does anybody have an idea how we can get one?

Ok..for non Indian GCs, Ganesh is the famous god with elephant head and we are searching fro a clay idol of him. On 7th sept we celebrate his Birthday.
Can any body help me?

Thanks,
Raj

Hi,

try Google with a German phrase:

ganesh figuren

I did it, just because of curiosity. There are some results.

Good luck
Detlef

Thanks Detlef,
I tried already in google before I posted here. Actually I exhausted tries in Ebay,Amazon and google in UK, Holland and DE...

I am looking for a clay or Plaster statue of Ganesh which is well known among indians..

If any indian here knows how Durga statue of Köln is procured every season, perhaps may be helpful.

Raj

Guys, I am sorry, I couldnt help myself. I have to ask this question. Please do not take this as an insult towards Indian Culture and Indians. I personally do not belong to any religion and therefore I am trying to *criticise* all religion sort of thing without any prejudice.

I read/saw a lot of dogmas in Christian, Muslim and Jew religion but for me this statue thing is the most interesting one. For me, it is just funny (in some senses scary) that people still in 21th Century consider statues as gods and try to pray to these statues. I mean, is it kind of a tradition thing ? I am sure you guys are well aware that statues are hand-made and they are not gods(if there is one) in any sense.

As I said, dont take it personal, this is just an observation from someone who tries to look at the things without prejudice.

Regards,

Lacrima

@lacrima

It is just a festival where people get together, eat, drink and socialize. It's much like famous pagan ritual known as BELTANE.

@Akshay
Ok.. thanks for the explanation, sorry for being ignorant regarding the indian culture. I didnt know that it was just a "festival", I thought that it was a more religious "thing".

Excuse me Mr. Akash. One thing, Its all about Ganesh Festival, it is also religious. Defination of festival is not only eat drink enjoy, apart from that(atleast for Ganesh Festival), being a Hindu, I think its more than that. I even doubt, that you have ever known meaning of Ganesh Chaturthi! or even what people do in this 10 days. So before even asserting some statements think on it, I m sorry for being so straight forward, but i cant tolerate it, if someone doesnt know 100 percent and says something.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a holy Festival. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. We start every good act or any act wit his worship.

And it is said that he always helps people who help themselves.

So i think i cleared both question about Ganesh and doubt about it.

have a nice time guys!!
PS: No offensiveness meant here!!

Hi Lacrima and others,
I asked the same quesiton to my grandpa and he told me this interesting real story. This convinced me to continue praying an idol.

Once Swami Vivekananda(famous saint) was captured by a moghul to explain him idol worship. Moghul was against idol worship and one who did idol worship was punished.

Vivekananda was captured and represented in Moghuls court. vivekanda then silently walked over the hall towards a potrait of Moghul's grandfather. He went near the potrait and asked moghul "What will you do if I spit on this?"

Moghul got furious and said, "How dare you talk of SPITTING ON MY GRANDFATHER? I will behead you!"

The point was clear now!! Moghul immediately realized why he paid respect to a canvas!! Just a sheet of canvas with paints splashed on it. A simple painting made by hands...

Hindus concentrate their respect and devotion on a idol. And Ganesh is a cute one too :-)

Well...Does anybody know where I can get him??

Hope it helps,
Raj

Hey Raj,

I can try to get the contacts of the guys in Koln who does this celebration every year.
But as far as i know they use the same Idol all the years.

I think.

Leave your coordinates and i will get back to you.

Sudeep

@rajsoman

I read a story long ago of a man who was trying to convince people that idols were not worth any worship.

He went in a temple where the idol was, and with a stick and an ax, he started destroying it. Priests of the temple wanted to beat him dead, but he only told them "let me do it and if he is any god, let him defend himself". He broke the idol down, left the temple and showed people that was he meant was real.

See, it's all about what you believe and why you believe it. I never bowed to an idol and never will, but I respect every single religion.

No offense, was just some counter-example.

D.

Hi,
@rajsoman
@nobody

I think the issue has been well explained by raj and that should be the end of the discussion on this topic, for writing some stories and personal beliefs I do not think this is a place.

No hard feelings please

Have a lot of fun ....

MATRIX

Hi guys,

With so many Raj's around i have to fight for space here :-).

@Nobody -- did the guy come out alive after doin that? I cant think if someone would have survived if has done the same thing in a church and maybe in a Mosque. But the example was a perfect counter-argument from a Atheist point of view.

Hinduism in nothing but "a way of life". Personally i wouldnt call it a religion. This comment may bring a lot of counter claims, but i am ready for them.

Also the latest trend seems to be " dont take it personally", " no offense intended" etc. Guys lighten up. Whatever you say, some people take offense and some not. You cant express your views without some one getting offended.


Rajesh