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Barack Obama Carries Lord Hanuman Statue for Good Luck

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A photo that recently appeared on the Time Magazine White House Photo of the Day shows the things that Barack Obama carries for good luck, which includes a bracelet belonging to a soldier deployed in Iraq, a gambler’s lucky chit, a tiny monkey god and a tiny Madonna and child. Newspapers and Television channels in India have zeroed in on the tiny monkey god and are suggesting that the presumptive Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, Obama, is seeking the blessings of Lord Hanuman in his battle for the White House.

Neither the Time magazine nor the photographer has identified the statue as Lord Hanuman. No idea if Obama too recognizes it has Hanuman idol.

But the Indian media has linked the statue it to the initial days that Obama spent in Indonesia. In Bali Island of Indonesia, Hinduism is the most popular religion and the sacred epic Ramayana in which Lord Hanuman appears.

But the tiny monkey god statue that is among the lucky charms has four hands. In India and Indonesia, Lord Hanuman is rarely depicted has having four hands. But in the Thailand version of Ramayana, known as Ramakien, Hanuman is often depicted as having four hands.

If it is the statue of Lord Hanuman, then the chances are that it probably represents Hanuman in the Thai Ramakien.

Hanuman symbolizes selfless service, unparalleled strength and unfathomable devotion and is one of the most popular deities in Hinduism. The fruitful association of Lord Rama with Hanuman and his ‘monkey clan’ symbolizes the need for the coexistence of humans and animals. And it extols that all animate and inanimate are nothing but the One Supreme Being – Brahman.

Millions of Hindus worship Hanuman. But those alien to Hindu culture, especially the Western media and Christian Missionaries, quite often use Hanuman to ridicule Hindu culture and malign it. Hope the tiny Hanuman statue, part of Barack Obama’s lucky charm can get the true meaning of Hanuman across United States and undo the misinformation spread by Christian missionaries.

Lord Hanuman’s blessing is sought before all auspicious beginnings and he is a lucky charm for millions of Hindus and it is certain that Hanuman will never fail his true devotee.