Oddly, there are new Hindu temples popping up all around me all very close proximity to me. In fact, I turned off a main street in one town nearby into what was really a dicey neighborhood, I was heading to pick up some Indian food (my wife goes to Canada a lot, this time again to visit my Grand Nephew) since I was alone so I called in some food (matar paneer with roti - yummy!), and whoooo ... there it was!
It was the sort of Hindu temple that was common in the 1960s and 70s, a beaten down small flaptrap in a sort of dicey area not one of those fancy big "community temples". It had a small gravel parking area, OM symbols painted on beaten small fence, poor but ACTIVE temple North Indian (I know these things instantly) likely Ram-Krishna type, a couple Indians leaving at the time (yup - North Indian, I am ALWAYS right), whoever is the Guru or the pujari I can tell he or she just arrived in the US recently from India, I didn't go in but will soon now that I found it and report back.
I can walk into ANY Hindu temple, that is what I advise you to do, no shoes, no leather. Of course I have lost count of temples I have and do visit including internationally and in India - but ANY Hindu Temple in US or Canada you will have NO PROBLEM so have NO FEAR. This new one without doubt will be EXACTLY what I like - full of elderly Hindu ladies who will fall in love with me within 15 mins and pretty soon consider me their son. It will be cluttered (not neat like a South Indian Temple, they are almost always very neat and VERY clean, North type can be cluttered and just sort of clean except in the "yard" not clean) with posters of Krishna and Durga and Santoshi Maa, bit noise going on, priest will approach me and want me to come by kitchen for some prashad (sacred food) to hand me, maybe puja ready to start or underway ($5 donation type dipa), or even bhajans (songs), there might be some loose kid or two running amok which I love and especially if they try to pull on my clothes or say something in Hindi to me, cute betu! But if runny nose, then no doubt will get me sick but what to do? Don't dare to hurt the feelings of some mataji! So just fyi, if there is some snot nose kid with dirty dried snots on back of hand who wants to cling to your leg or crawl on you when you are sitting on the floor lotus style, well, what can I say? Only an Indian can tell mataji to get the kid off, but if you are "whitey" then you just have to let it be and sort of smile as you try to distract cute betu to see the Ganesha "over there".
One other point. If the "priest" tries to hand you something like white hard candy or such, take it in palm of your RIGHT hand, never left.
Right hand good. Left hand bad. Don't point feet at "idol". Don't point feet at anyone. Don't go onto "altar". Give donation on the plate (use right hand) - $5 dollars. Keep $5 handy in upper shirt pocket, don't dig in pants for money. Don't pull wallet out as someone might think it is leather even if it is jute. And for sure, no leather wallet. Or put $5 in the box called "Hundi". Don't offer or give money to guests. Only priests. You may get a free Hindu calendar from priest with advertising of local travel agency and with pictures of Gods. Be very grateful for such a calendar, that means priest REALLY likes you! There might be very cute Hindu girls. Peek if you like, she will peek back if parents not watching. But when you smile, do not do so directly to her face, just look down pretending you are shy then give a sort of "tiny smile" while looking down like "we know the secret". Only talk to Mother but not to cute girl. If cute girl has young brother and little brother is hanging on your leg or crawling on you or pulling on back of your shirt to be "funny", just give slight hug to brother and quick peek at cute girl and she will know it means you gave her a hug. Even if you didn't hug her directly, it is the same thing. Very nice! However, if your wife is with you, don't do anything I just said.
Ok, it sort sounds bad talking about noticing cute Hindu girls. But it is totally innocent, believe me. Just a bit rasa. So don't take it wrong. I am just a happy Hindu.
Also nothing I said applies if it is a South Indian Temple. Do NOT flirt for sure. Be a lot more quiet. But actually, you will probably get even MORE attention from the "priest" in the South Indian Temple than North and the odds of getting a calendar are higher but the advertising will be for a restaurant and not a travel agency.
If along the sides of the main sanctum there are chairs or bench DO NOT SIT ON IT unless you are an old lady or a cripple. Only sit on floor. Some guest may offer to give food like banana or such to priest. Don't do that unless you know what you are doing.
CAN'T WAIT!
