What is Daruma Doll? Know Meaning behind the Symbol and Tradition of India - Japan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been gifted a Daruma doll during his two-day trip to Japan. This doll has a strong connection to Japanese culture and history. The Shorinzan-Daruma-ji Temple's Chief Priest offered it as a sign of goodwill between the two countries. PM Modi will speak with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit.

There was obvious symbolic significance in presenting Prime Minister Modi with such a doll.  It was a cultural gift and a blessing, wishing him luck in fortifying India-Japan ties and fortitude in leadership.

Daruma Doll Gifted to PM Modi 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a Daruma doll, a well-known Japanese cultural icon, on the first day of his visit to Japan by Rev. Seishi Hirose, the chief priest of the Daruma-ji temple.

These dolls, which vary in height from a few inches to several feet, are considered lucky charms in Japan and are therefore a significant aspect of the nation's culture.

What is Daruma Doll?

Traditionally made of papier-mâché, the Daruma is a type of Japanese wish doll. It is originally modeled after the Zen Buddhist founder Bodhidharma, who lived in the fifth century. According to the Japanese website daruma.jp, the doll is seen as a representation of tenacity and good fortune, frequently used to symbolize establishing and accomplishing objectives.

The figure's eyes are left white and blank when it is purchased. The owner fills in the left eye with black ink after making a wish or choosing a goal. Only when the objective is accomplished is the right eye painted, making the doll a living symbol of dedication and success.

As the expression goes, "Fall seven times, stand up eight," the doll's unique, rounded bottom enables it to jump back up when flipped over.

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What is its Connection with India?

The Daruma represents the meditation of Bodhidharma, a Kancheepuram-born Indian monk who is referred to as Daruma Daishi in Japan. Bodhidharma reportedly folded his limbs and faced a wall while meditating for nine years straight. The strange, rounded appearance of the Daruma doll, which lacks eyes and limbs, is explained by this idea. According to legend, Bodhidharma traveled from India to China's Henan Province and meditated in a cave there.

Additionally, "Daruma" is derived from the Sanskrit word Dharma, which neither Chinese nor Japanese has a direct equivalent.

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History of Daruma Dolls

Daruma is thought to have originated in the Shorinzan Darumaji Temple in Takasaki, Gunma, which was constructed in 1697. There are enormous stacks of Daruma dolls in the temple. Takasaki is one of Japan's biggest manufacturers of Daruma dolls. The temple has been linked to prosperity and triumph for more than a millennium, and numerous emperors and shoguns have come to receive blessings. Locals now often come here before tests or crucial business meetings.

Since 1981, Rev. Seishi Hirose has been the Chief Priest of Takasaki's Daruma-ji Temple. He received his training at the Zen Hall of the Manpukuji Temple in Kyoto, which is a part of the Obaku branch of Zen Buddhism, after graduating from Komazawa University's Department of Buddhism.

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