We bought a small new Maruti car and first thing that came to our mind was there should be a Ganesha idol on the dashboard.
The journey started from online shops ofcourse – Flipkart, Amazon and eve Meesho. Then we thought of checking in local shops for a better idea of the material and comparing the prices. We found almost all the idols we had seen online, but at a lower price. For example, synthetic material white idol like this one was costing about Rs 200/- online and it was Rs. 85-150 in local shops. https://www.amazon.in/KC-PRODUCTS-Polyresin-Meditating-Multicolour/dp/B08TRH5QPL/
One thing I want to say, there were no great idols in local shops.
As the car is small, wanted a small-sized idol like less than 2 inches tall. There was just one in the shop like that and it was very common design. Finally I got a nice one from an airport shop when I had to take a flight urgently. After bring the idol home, and sticking on the dashboard for a few days, we realized there were lot of other things to consider.
Price of small Ganesha Idols
We realised we can not get a nice looking idol if we go with the cheapest. So, this time we raised the budget from 100 rupees to 500. There are great, unique Ganesh idols at that price.
Which side is the Ganesha idol trunk pointing to
My wife found an article talking about the trunk direction of Ganesh Idols and what that means. Plus there appeared to be different instructions to worship Ganesha idols based on the poses such as sitting, standing, and based on the direction of the trunk – towards left side of Ganesha, towards right side and straight. We should not have scrutinized that much because it was just for decoration purpose and not really an idol for worship. Still, Indian religious mindset can only get scared more and more. I felt the trunk in this nice metallic idol was straight down. But wifey found it slightly curved towards right. So, it was a NO to be kept in household. Removed the idol from the dashboard.
What more I realized:
Ganesha Idol Material for Car Dashboard
There are resin/plastic, clay, glass/crystal, marble, and metal idols. Resin idols are the cheapest and will last longer. Clay or Glass idols may break accidentally. Marble and metal idols are most durable. But now, after going through more religious material, I think metal idols at home may not be accepted by some. So, plastic is the final choice. Plus, I noticed the metal idol colour came out when I pulled it out from the dashboard sticker.
What Glue to stick Idol on Car Dashboard
Many idols came with double-sided white sticker. But I had to buy a double sided tape roll for other use as well. This is the one.
But it was very difficult to cut the tape in the shape of idol’s base. It was not gripping properly either. I have now tried many varieties of glues from Fevicol brand. Next time I will use fevibond. But I think best will be a glue that stays sticky forever, like those on the normal double-sided tapes. Sticky glues are too expensive I think. Like this one:
You may be thinking it is too much research. But trust me, it is worth it. Now, after so much research we have finalized on some designs from Gold Art India. You can see this one: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07B52CMM4/
There are more colour options form this brand. Price is about 450-600. Let me know what was your experience or any tips you have to share.
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Wow, that’s some research you have done. I never had the opportunity or money to buy a car. just kidding, but my dad owned three and whenever he used to buy one, we directly used to go to a car decor service and choose the idol there. May be some day when I get my own car, I might look into this.
Thanks, yes we did not think we would do this much research. But it was good info to share with others.
Yes, I think Maruti service centers sell the idols. They even have permanent priests to do gaadi puja.
Hope you get your car soon.
Thanks for the wishes. Yeah, most car decor service providers have such idols. Definitely good that you shared it with others.
Reclining Ganesh idols depict a posture of rest, leisure and not activity. Hence it is not suited and not a common choice for cars.
Choose between white-colored and saffron-colored Ganesh idols.
While the white-colored is the symbol of peace and tranquility, the latter protects you against negative energies.
I have bought Ganesha idols for my car many times but never paid attention to the material. Just used a sticky double-tape for placing the idol on the dashboard. Your post is informative and will help me in making a suitable choice the next time.