Whispering Deities: Talking Idols and Living Gods of India

India, where the sacred and profane tend to stroll hand-in-hand, is home to sacred geography with stories of talking deities, breathing gods, even responsive ones. Yesterday's majestic aartis and clanging temple bells are hushed whispers of yesterday's tales of vigrahas (idols) that sweat, change their faces, or converse with people through dreams and omens. 

They are temples of worship, it is true—these are places of constant dialogues of the divine, where religion and folklore obfuscate the boundaries of immobility and awareness.