Candidate Obama has a Monkey God Locket Charm Thingy? Seriously?

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I’m not sure what to make of this Times of India newspaper article. I think the pronouncements should be taken with a huge grain of salt given that they are made by an overly-excited Indian politician named Brijmohan Bhama. But sweet smoking Judas, this is odd . .

NEW DELHI: With Democrat senator Barack Obama busy in the run-up to the US presidential polls, a group of well-wishers in the capital have decided to send him a symbol of his lucky charm, Lord Hanuman, to help him emerge victorious.

Obama’s representative Carolyn Sauvage-Mar on Tuesday received a gold-plated two-feet-high idol which she will pass it on to the Obama after it is sanctified.

The idol is being presented to Obama as he is reported to be a Lord Hanuman devotee and carries with him a locket of the monkey god along with other good luck charms.

An hour-long prayer meeting to sanctify the idol was earlier organised at Sankat Mochan Dham and by Congress leader Brijmohan Bhama, Balmiki Samaj and the temple’s priests.

“Obama has deep faith in Lord Hanuman and that is why we are presenting an idol of Hanuman to him,” said Bhama.

Accepting the souvenir, Sauvage-Mar, who is chairperson of Democrats Abroad-India, said, “Obama has extended his thanks for the support.”

Just when you think the cultish, new age-y circus surrounding Obamamessiah worship has reached the upper limits of absurdity. . . Someone named Brijmohan whips out a big fat golden idol and raises the bar.

Hopefully some enterprising young reporter at Sen. Obama’s next campaign stop will ask a few questions and clear some of this up for us. Will someone please ask:

Sen. Obama, do you indeed have “a deep faith in Lord Hanuman” as asserted by an Indian congressional leader? And if so, what does the monkey-god mean to you?

Do you carry a monkey-god locket and other “good luck” charms in your pocket? If so, may we see them?

What do you plan to do with the big golden image of the monkey-god presented to your representative in New Delhi? Does Michelle have a spot in your foyer in mind? Would it move to the White House with you? Would the girls be allowed to dress it up and give it a nickname?

According to the article, the graven image has to undergo 11 days of additional blessing and consecration before it can be delivered to the Obamas.

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All this follows the straight-faced suggestion in the San Francisco Chronicle that Obama is some sort “enlightened being.”

And the election is four long months away. How strange does all this have to get before the average American pulls the emergency cord on the crazy train and says, “That’s it. I’m getting off here.”

Update: A helpful commenter with knowledge of India informs us that Mr. Bhama, quoted above, isn’t necessarily a member of Indian parliament, but is rather a member of the “Congress” political party, and therefore may just be some local yahoo. The whole story is priceless, nonetheless. (Be sure to check out the YouTube video he links to.)