Last summer and fall I went on the road with the Carlos Museum's Elizabeth Hornor to film scenes at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta -- for an important Hindu ritual called the abhishekam of Ganesha, in which chanting priests anoint the god with auspicious, or “life-affirming” substances such as oil, milk, yogurt, honey before dressing and adorning him with jewels and flowers -- and the Drepung Loseling Monastery and Center for Tibetan Studies (with photographer Joe Boris), where we explored the meaning of different aspects of the Buddhist altar.
Now you can see the results of each visit (click on links above, then find the videos) at the Carlos Museum's Odyssey Online South Asia site, which provides students of all ages a way to explore the works of art in the collections in depth and see how similar objects function in religious settings both in India and in Atlanta.
It was a great learning experience for me -- and I think young students will especially appreciate seeing Ganesha anointed with bananas and tumeric.