Eetarambharatam Hyderabad july 30:
Special initiatives for the preservation of old Hindu deity idols have gained momentum across the state. Temple committees and religious organizations are coming forward to respectfully collect old or damaged idols from homes and temples that are no longer suitable for worship, instead of allowing them to be discarded as waste. These idols will be handled according to traditional Hindu rituals.
As part of this initiative, the Sanatan Seva Trust, based in Anand Nagar, Nagole, has launched this program in the first week of August. The Sri Abhaya Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Indraprastha Colony, Anand Nagar, will serve as the collection center.
The Trust Chairman, Sunil Shanagala, along with trustees Naveen Shanagala, Ella Panthulu Chandrasekhar, Kalam Shetty Haribabu, and Manasa Shanagala, appealed to devotees not to throw old deity idols or pictures near trees, into lakes, or in other public places. Instead, they requested that such idols be handed over to the Sanatan Seva Trust.
They stated that Udvāsana Puja (the ritual of respectfully retiring a deity idol) will be performed by qualified priests according to the Agama Shastras, using the names and gotras of those who submit the idols.
Devotees are requested to contact the Trust via WhatsApp at 9014019752. Further details are available on the Hindu Voice In YouTube channel. The organizers said the initiative has received an encouraging response from devotees.
According to Hindu traditions, deity idols possess sacred significance. Even when they become damaged, they should not be treated like ordinary objects or thrown away carelessly. Keeping this in mind, awareness programs are being conducted in several areas, and special collection centers are being established to encourage devotees to voluntarily hand over old idols from their homes.
The collected idols will be respectfully immersed in rivers, lakes, or specially prepared sacred ponds in accordance with the Agama Shastra guidelines. The organizers believe that this practice not only preserves religious traditions but also contributes to environmental protection.
Temple committees, religious organizations, youth associations, and voluntary organizations are actively participating in this campaign. Devotees are urged not to discard old idols in garbage dumps, on roadsides, or in water bodies, but to hand them over to the designated collection centers.
With the objective of preserving sanctity and passing on India’s cultural and religious traditions to future generations, this initiative is expected to expand across the state. As public awareness increases, the organizers believe the preservation of old deity idols could develop into a widespread people’s movement.
Temple committees and religious organizations have appealed to devotees not to throw old deity idols into the garbage, but instead to hand them over so they can be respectfully disposed of through proper religious rituals.
