Why do people worship idols? Why does idol worship stubbornly persist despite many centuries of prejudice, bigotry and violence against it? Can such worship help us find our true purpose in life and ultimately attain peace and prosperity? In Idols, a companion volume to the bestselling Dharma, your favourite fictional characters are back, along with some new ones, to explore the essence and true meaning of idolatry. In this insightful and thought-provoking book, Amish and Bhavna tackle burning questions about idol worship through simple, varied and astute interpretations of myths and religious texts. They unearth the symbolic essence of Ishta Devata, dive into the benefits of bhakti and tackle the importance of religion for people and society. In the process, they reveal the expansive philosophy behind the practice and how it can lead us to experience-intellectually, ideologically and, most importantly, in our hearts-the Oneness of God, through transformation, acceptance and love.
Reviews with the most likes.
A great book highlighting the history behind idol-worship across the globe and bringing to light many of the aspects of different Hindu Gods and Goddesses. I was looking for such a book for some time now and finally Amish delievered.
Here's what I loved about the book:
1. The Topic of Ishta Devtas and how devotees connect to them
2. Exploring the core as well an surface notions in Hinduism
3. Correlation with other polythiest religions like that of Greek and Egyptian
What I didn't enjoy as much:
1. Digressing from current topic too much to discuss correlations with Greek Culture.
2. Less information about Pranprathista in Murti Pujas and precursor to idol worships: Mandals & Yantras.
3. Less information about Nirguna Bhakti and it's parallelism with Abrahmaic Faiths.
