Exhibit Introduces Hindu Beliefs, Worship

NEW YORK (RNS)-- A torn sheet of paper with the word "peace" on it lies among quarters and dimes at a shrine to the Hindu goddess Parvati, the archetypal mother.

Visitors felt moved to leave these offerings here, but the shrine is not in a temple. It's in the American Museum of Natural History, part of the exhibit "Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion."

"We have people coming and giving offerings in the exhibition daily," said Stephen Huyler, guest curator and an anthropologist who has traveled in India for 30 years.

The Parvati shrine is one of 10 recreated shrines in the exhibit, which is on view through February 2002. The exhibit is not a consecrated space, but was designed to introduce visitors to Hindu beliefs, gods and goddesses and methods of worship in a cultural context.

"It shows how one in six human beings live," Huyler said. "It shows how the sacred affects their daily lives, and it's a means for understanding more about ourselves."

There is a need for understanding the faith. Although an estimated 1.2 million people in the United States are Hindu, a recent survey found that 83 percent of Americans had little or no familiarity with Hindu beliefs and practices.

A video of one of those practices, morning prayers at the Ganges River, opens the exhibit. The displays that follow are grouped by themes, including worship in the home, community, and temple, and at religious festivals. Each section features color photographs taken by Huyler, images of the gods, and objects ranging from wall hangings to processional trumpets. Earth-toned walls and Indian music highlight the setting.

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