Shaligram Stones/ Shaligrama Shila

Why in news?

• Two sacred Shaligram stones arrived in Ayodhya for crafting the idols of Lord Ram and Janaki at the Ram Temple.

About Shaligram Stones:

• Shaligrama shila is a particular variety of stone collected from riverbed or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in Nepal
• It is used as a non-anthropomorphic representation of Vishnu by Hindus.
• They are typically fossils of ammonite shells from the Devonian-Cretaceous period of 400 to 66 million years ago.

History:

• Historically, the use of shaligrama stones in worship can be traced to the time of Adi Shankara through the latter’s works.
• The statue of Vishnu in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram and Badrinath Temple of Garhwal region, and that of Krishna in Krishna Matha of Udupi and Radha Raman Temple of Vrindavana are also believed to be made from shaligrama stones.

Add ons:

• Shaligram Stone is used in Hindu rituals and is believed to bring good luck, prosperity, and blessings to those who worship it.
• It is also used as a talisman to ward off negative energies and protect the wearer from harm.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Shaligrama shila, a particular variety of stone collected from the banks of the Gandaki River in Nepal, is associated with which of the following religion?

(a) Buddhism

(b) Jainism

(c) Hinduism

(d) Sikhism

Answer