Perfect Spiritual Gifts for a Hindu
If you have a Hindu friend and want to give him or her a spiritual gift, you might have some trouble coming up with ideas. Hinduism is not well understood in the United States, though it is the world’s third largest religion, after Islam and Christianity. But what better way to show your Hindu friends that you respect them and their religion than by recognizing a major holiday like Diwali with a spiritual gift. But what is an appropriate gift in this circumstance?
Hindu Deity Statues
You can find a traditional brass statue of Hindu deities many places, both online and in stores that carry Hindu religious products. With a panoply of gods, Hindus around the world worship their favorites. Find out what gods your friends favor and surprise them with a high quality statue. If you can’t find out, two of the most popular Hindu gods are Krishna and Ganesh, though other popular gods include Shiva, Kali, Lakshmi, Durga, Hanuman, and even Buddha. They will make great additions to your friend’s home.
If brass doesn’t appeal to you, there are many more colorful options. Some of these options are more creative than a statue. For instance, some of these statues come on small trays, upon which you can place offerings.
Hindu Jewelry
There are many pieces of jewelry that Hindus use to express their spirituality and a gift of jewelry is always appreciated. There are many jewelry options, like ceramic or sterling silver pendants, depicting various Hindu gods. Some of these pieces are made up of bright vibrant colors and others are simple silver or ivory colored. A sacred mandala pendant is another great jewelry option. These ancient spiritual pieces are meant to help lead the wearer to spiritual perfection through meditation.
If you want to give something a little more somber, look for rudraksha beads, the Hindu equivalent of a rosary. These beads are made from the rudraksha trees, large evergreens whose seeds are said to have sprung from the tears of Shiva. Each of the 108 beads represents a sacred mantra or chant and is cherished by many Hindus.
Incense and Diya Holders
Most of these choices are decorative, but if you want something that your Hindu friends can use on a daily basis, why not look at something like an incense holder? Burning incense is an important part of Hindu ritual and it is always nice to have attractive incense holders for that purpose. You can get intricately decorated silver holders with no affiliation to a particular god. Or you can get one that is a small tray with statues of a god. Or you can get an incense and diya, or light, holder. Diya holders are especially important for the most important Hindu holiday, Diwali. Look for diya and incense holders that depicting the gods Ganesh and Lakshmi. Paying homage to these gods at Diwali expresses a hope that the coming year will be prosperous and hardships will be easily overcome. What better message to send with your gift?
