INTRODUCTION : 
Decoration of deities is a good task. Similar to decorating ourselves and our children, we must have to decorate the divine deities also, based on our financial status. In most of the Hindu temples, the deities would wear rich costumes, costly necklaces and would be adorned with flowers and flower garlands. Among the gods and goddesses, Lord Vishnu and Mata Lakshmi Devi idols would be well decorated with gold and diamond ornaments.
Shiva Lingams in the Temples usually would appear with simple decorations, and in the Jyothirlinga Temples, the Shiva Lingam would be covered with Golden Armor (THANGA KAVASAM) during the puja times, and abhishekham would be done in a grand manner. The idols of the Navagrahas in the Shiva temples also would be properly decorated and adorned with flowers, and holy Prasad would be offered to the deities.
Some people would say “when the people suffer from poverty and when they don’t have even proper clothes to wear, then why we have to decorate the idols?”
But actually it is not like that. People suffer from poverty due to their karmic deeds, and god would never interfere in our personal freedom. If anyone is stopped from doing sins by the god, then the very purpose of creation itself would go wrong. God doesn’t want to create people like toys. Even if he interferes in our personal activities, then we would forget him as a god, and would scold him hardly. Even we may ask, “Don’t interfere with our activities. Go and do your duty”, like that. That’s why god is not coming personally before the wrong doers and asking them to change their bad behaviour.
Lord Krishna in his Bhagavat Gita says “I am acting only as a mere spectator before the people. I have already explained to them, what is good, and what is bad. It is their duty to act wisely, to follow my teachings, and to do good activities in their life”.
Hence, let us decorate the Deities pictures in our puja room with flowers and flower garlands, and also perform Abhishekham to the deities, especially to Ma Annapurna, who provides food to us regularly throughout our life time.
God doesn’t expect us to do big decoration or grand puja for him. All that he expects is our sincere bhakti on him. Even if offer a small Tulsi leaf to Lord Krishna, he would be immensely pleased with that, and would fulfil our wishes, and give good prosperity in our life.
“OM”
SENT BY
R.HARISHANKAR
