You must have noticed a special corner in most homes where members of the family offer their prayers. In Hindu homes, such a place of worship is even more noticeable due to the wooden pooja mandir.
A wooden pooja mandir is not only a sacred space for worship – it is a story that speaks about your faith and Indian tradition.
Ideally, just like birds find a cosy space in their nests, families find a sacred space for worship in their homes in these wooden pooja mandirs.
The Wooden Tradition
But why wood, you may ask. Well, it is all about tradition. Most families prefer wooden mandirs at home as they connect to nature and remind them about their tradition bringing them closer to it.
The speciality of wood was discovered long ago by our great-great grandparents and that belief has been passed on through generations. They found that wood has a special ability to bring comfort and warmth to any space. This refers to the qualities of trees that provide us with shade, comfort, and a sense of safety. Don’t you take shelter under a tree during rainfall if nothing else is available to protect you from getting wet? It is the same concept that prevails.
Most importantly, wood offers a natural feeling that metals and plastics cannot.
Trees to Temples: An Exciting Adventure
Wooden mandirs typically go through an exciting adventure while getting their form from trees. It’s like turning a simple piece of stone into a work of art by using a chisel to smooth out the rough parts.
First, the best quality wood is selected. Usually, teakwood is preferred for its durability, strength and natural beauty. The golden colour exhibits luxury and the high content of natural oils protects it from pests and moisture, requiring minimal care and maintenance.
Now, it is time for the skilled artisans to use their experience to create a beautiful place for the gods from a simple piece of tree. These craftsmen are not just artisans. They are magical artists who use traditional tools to create elegant and exquisite wooden mandirs. They are painters in wood, making precise cuts with absolute care and love to create figures of elephants, peacocks, lotus flowers and religious symbols and motifs.
Eventually, every wooden mandir tells a story of its own, just like you find in actual Indian temples and history books.
The Value at Homes
Typically, a wooden mandir holds a special place in homes and a special value in the hearts of the homeowners. Once they place their favourite gods on them and start worshipping, it is no longer a simple piece of furniture. It becomes a divine place for the gods and them to gather and connect with each other through prayers and rituals performed daily.
In other words, a wooden temple is a miniature heaven at home!
It is also a learning tool for children. It teaches them about Indian culture and tradition through the intricate carvings and symbols engraved on the wooden mandirs. Every mandir has a separate story to tell and families pass these stories and traditions down from one generation to another, especially grandparents to grandchildren.
A wooden mandir is a sacred place for the entire family. While your grandmother offers her prayers very early in the morning, your mother or wife shows her respect and devotion a bit late, and your sister performs their aarti in the evening or your little daughter may ring the bell every now and then, though somewhat playfully.
Ideally, it is a place that draws everyone individually sometime of the day or together during specific occasions and festivities.
In other words, a wooden mandir is created from a natural tree which later becomes a family tree once it reaches your home!
Fun Facts
Wooden mandirs may come with small or large drawers, shelves, or cupboards to offer adequate storage space for your pooja essentials and keep your mandir looking neat, clean, and organised.
Typically, it takes several days and weeks for a skilled craftsman to create a single, beautiful, and customised wooden mandir by hand unless advanced machines are used to produce them on a large scale.
The longevity of wooden mandirs, especially if it is made of teakwood, is much higher than plastic or metal. Do not be surprised if you learn that the wooden mandir you are using now was once used by your grandmother!
A wooden mandir is not just a piece of furniture. It is a sacred place where spirituality and peace live in harmony!
