Deepa Ballas
CHENNAI, India (AP) — A former computer expert and now a highly specialized type of artist, he turned his gaze to the god before him.
On a recent afternoon, 33-year-old S. Gowtham was perched on the altar ladder of Goddess Durga at the Anantha Padmanabha Swami Temple in Chennai, India. Gowtham, his hands moving steadily, was pleating a green silk saree to adorn the deity.
“You can’t be nervous when you’re doing this job,” he says. “Without her perseverance, this is not possible. She must become one with her.”
A computer science graduate, Goutham quit his job about ten years ago to pursue his calling. Since then, following in the footsteps of his ancestors, he has been active as the fifth-generation decorator of temples and shrines.
In Hindu temples, idols are mainly made of materials such as black granite, white marble, or five-metal alloys with sacred significance. These deities are worshiped as physical and tangible representations of the deity (Brahman), who is believed to be infinite, omnipresent and beyond comprehension. This includes bathing the gods in milk, adorning them with colorful clothes, flowers, perfumes such as sandalwood, jewelry, and even weapons such as swords, clubs and tridents. Oil lamps are lit on the altar, and chants and food are offered to the gods.
Adorning deities is a millennia-old practice depicted in the Hindu epic Ramayana, and Gowtham has studied the art since infancy. He created his first formal decoration when he was thirteen, twenty years later one November day, at the very altar where he stood.
He has done thousands of decorations, ranging from relatively simple ones that take an hour or two to complete, to more complex ones that take several days.
Gowtham said his father’s influence got him interested in decorating the gods as a child.
“When you were little, your dad was your hero,” he said. “I wanted to be like him.”
The first lesson Gowtham got from his father was about the weapons each god possessed. He heard stories about the power of each weapon and how the gods used them.
“The character of a god and the story of a god or goddess can change depending on the weapon, the clothing they wear, the facial expression, or whether they are sitting or standing,” he said.
When setting out to decorate a god, Goutham says he has an idea of what to do, but doesn’t start with a sketch. He goes step by step—laying out God’s hands, feet, and weapons. He then moved on to clothes and jewelry. God is slowly appearing.
There are rules for the types of materials that can be used for gods.
“The human body is made up of earth, water, fire, air and space, and anything that occurs naturally on earth is made up of these elements,” Gowtham said. “To show this, we adorn the gods with things that exist in nature and represent these elements, such as copper, cloth, and coconut fiber.”
He says that adorning the deity combines elements of art, dance and yoga regarding the hand gestures and postures the deity takes.Artifacts such as plastic are prohibited. Gowtham uses small pins to hold the fabric together, but makes sure that the pins do not touch the idols directly.
He sources the arms and legs of the gods, weapons and jewels, mostly made of copper and brass, from artisans.
He has also created an app and website for those who dream of learning more about this art and setting up an institution to train artists who can maintain the sacred traditions. is male, but he sees no reason why women cannot learn and practice it.
“All are equal under God,” he said.
Storytelling is an important part of his work. One of his favorite installations depicts the friendship between Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, and Kuchela.
“This shows Krishna washing the feet of poor Kuchela, conveying the message that humility is a virtue, whether human or divine,” Gowtham said.
The term “idolatry” may have negative connotations in some religions. But for Hindus, the deities kept in temples, homes, shops, and offices are “things that tell us of our devotions and actions and remind us of all the positive values associated with those deities.” It plays a central role in the functioning of the Hindu American Foundation,” said Suhag Shukla, Executive Director of the Hindu American Foundation.
Shukla says this form of worship is a way for her to connect with her ancestors.
“As a second-generation Hindu-American, I didn’t grow up with all this stuff around me that I could absorb through osmosis,” she said. Just knowing that it’s part of a tradition that has been around for a long time is empowering for me personally.”
At Hindu temples in the United States, community members come together to help make costumes for the gods, an act of devotion, Shukla said.
“You don’t have to sit there and embroider a skirt or saree for a goddess, but they do it as a sign of love,” she said.
Gowtham says he doesn’t consider his job a profession.
“It can be called service because it brings pure joy to many and plays a role in our spiritual awakening,” he said. That’s all there is to it.It has the power to change people.”
Gowthams have adorned their deities in temples overseas as well as in small villages and lesser-known temples in India. He remembers hearing locals praising the temple’s divine decoration when he stopped at a village teahouse.
“It really warmed my heart,” he said.
When Gowtham placed a crown and wreath on the deity at a temple in Chennai, neighbor Sucharitra Surendrababu was awestruck and snapped a picture of the decorated goddess with his mobile phone.
“I love to see Mother Durga whether it is adorned or not,” she said. “But seeing her dressed up and looking gorgeous makes her so happy. It’s uplifting and empowering.”
It is so decorated that even the author’s eyes are brought to tears.
“It’s not just beautiful to look at,” Gowtham said. “It’s about love and faith. When you touch, dress, and adorn the gods, you think of them like your friends and parents. It takes skill and vision to do this.” But above all, it takes heart.”
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AP’s religious coverage is supported through a partnership between AP and The Conversation US with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. AP is solely responsible for this content.
