ALAPPUZHA: The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam has decided to prescribe guidelines for the making of idols of Sree Narayana Guru to be installed at various Guru Mandirams in the State in future, Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan has said.

The SNDP will directly arrange priests for Guru Mandirams and meditation Gurus for the spiritual growth of community members, Mr. Natesan has said.

Talking to The Hindu on Saturday, Mr. Natesan said the decision was taken at a recent meeting of office- bearers of various taluk unions of the SNDP Yogam. A notification had been issued to various SNDP unions delineating the details of the decision.

Mr. Natesan said the meeting expressed the opinion that the idols of Sree Narayana Guru installed at various places in the State varied enormously. The colour of the statues was also different at various places.

Mr. Natesan said while the Guru was a tall, fair person, the statues did not reflect it. Some of the idols did not even resemble the Guru. Taking into account these aspects, there was consensus among SNDP leaders to prescribe uniform standards for making idols of the Guru.

Mr. Natesan said there was shortage of qualified priests in some areas for consecrating idols and conducting pujas. The SNDP Yogam decided to provide services of more priests to community members wherever a demand arose.

In a decision that affects the Sree Narayana Divya Prabodhanam, a meditation being organised by Swami Satchidananda of the Siva Giri Dharma Sanghom Trust, Mr. Natesan said the SNDP unions had been asked to conduct meditations in a simple manner without incurring huge expenses. Mr. Natesan said the meeting had noted that the Divya Prabodhanam was resulting in huge expenses to SNDP unions and that it should be minimised.

The SNDP leadership would provide meditation Gurus to community members. He said the decisions were a result of the opinion expressed by SNDP leaders and it would benefit the spiritual pursuits of the community members.

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