Temple Visits

[Fireside_Hindu]

Namaste All,

No, don't worry, Vinayaka - this isn't another nervous newbie thread . I just thought it would be nice to have a place where people can talk about the Temples they visit as they visit them. Many of us on the Hindu Sub-forum appear to be adoptives/converts and I know I for one am eager to visit as many Temples as I have an opportunity to.

Tomorrow I'll be visiting a new Temple for the first time, but if people would like to start the thread by talking about either their favorite temple that they've visited so far, or the last one they visited that would be great! Hopefully this can turn into a place where people can learn about temples that might be nearby them or in India that they want to put on their bucket list for visiting some day.

:camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

I would not know where to start. Have fun tomorrow, FS.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Namaste all,

Today I visited the Hindu Temple of Delaware. I have been looking forward to it for a few months. It's an hour's drive from my home through some beautiful Amish country, so even though I had to wake pretty early to get to the Lakshmi Abhishekam, the trip itself was worth making. It's a smallish temple, but not too small. Both the exterior and the interior have been beautifully carved and sculpted. Maha Lakshmi is the presiding deity, carved in black granite. Shiva Lingam is to her right and Shri Balaji is to her left. Other satelite shrines held Ganesha, Ram Parivar, Radha-Krishna (The last two done in white marble) Shiv Parivar, Ayappan and the Navagraha.

It was quieter then I was expecting for a Sunday morning given there were three Abhiskekams scheduled back-to-back. I did my namaskars for all of the deities, pradakshina for Lashmi and then took a seat near one of the pillars to wait for the Lakshmi Abhishekam to start.

This was the first time I'd seen Abhishekam for a large deity murti. I know that seems odd to note, but I felt like my attention on the ritual was better because I could see the murti well. There were several priests in attendance - several of them quite young.

Unlike on previous visits to other temples, I was surprised that I didn't feel like people were staring at me because I was the odd white person there. It was nice to feel relaxed and that people were unfazed by my presence. I felt like I was able to focus more on my prayers.

I attended through the end of the Abhishekam and them took my leave. I know they offer lunch at noon on the weekends, so perhaps next time I will stay longer for that.

It was a great experience. Even though it is farther from me then my previous temple, it's nice to know it's so easy to get to and that the atmosphere is welcoming.

There is another temple about an hour away from me farther north that I want to visit next weekend. That one is a Lakshmi-Narayan Temple. I'm happy that my Ishta has brought me so close to a few of her temples.


:camp:

 

[Jainarayan]

Sounds great!

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste all,

Today I visited the Hindu Temple of Delaware.
:camp:

Very Nice. Glad you felt comfortable.

Today I went to the very first Ther festival at the Maha Ganapati Temple of Alberta. The Ther festival happens only once a year, and this was the inaugural year. A group of 300 to 500 were there to witness this event. We left home at and arrived back home at 3. Its a 10 minute drive from home. Many pilgrims, mostly from Calgary were present today, the 9th day of the annual festival. There were so many people trying hard to take a turn at pulling the ther rope that I didn't bother to push my way in.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I love all the various festivals. At the other temple back in Indiana, my favorites were Navaratri and Thai Pusam.

:camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

I love all the various festivals. At the other temple back in Indiana, my favorites were Navaratri and Thai Pusam.

:camp:

What did they do for Thai Pusam? I like that one too ... a lot!

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

For Thai Pusam anyone who wanted to sign up to make a kavadi did so - they were all similar in size but everyone decorated their own. While it was mostly men, there were two women participants as well. They performed a puja and then a dance in two lines. After which, they paraded around the interior of the temple followed by members of their family carrying kalash pots full of milk balanced on their heads. Once they returned to the beginning everyone was encouraged to dance around the participants in a circle. That was fun! I had no idea what I was doing, but I wasn't alone in that. People just smiled and laughed and in general had a good time.

:camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

For Thai Pusam anyone who wanted to sign up to make a kavadi did so - they were all similar in size but everyone decorated their own. While it was mostly men, there were two women participants as well. They performed a puja and then a dance in two lines. After which, they paraded around the interior of the temple followed by members of their family carrying kalash pots full of milk balanced on their heads. Once they returned to the beginning everyone was encouraged to dance around the participants in a circle. That was fun! I had no idea what I was doing, but I wasn't alone in that. People just smiled and laughed and in general had a good time.

:camp:

Thank You. They sure have lightened Thai Pusam and Kavadi up. I think the only place you can go do piercing kavadi in North America is at Val Morin in Quebec. They didn't pierce, did they?

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Thank You. They sure have lightened Thai Pusam and Kavadi up. I think the only place you can go do piercing kavadi in North America is at Val Morin in Quebec. They didn't pierce, did they?

Oh goodness no. I can only imagine the health violations. I mean, to each there own - but no thanks =) :camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

Oh goodness no. I can only imagine the health violations. I mean, to each there own - but no thanks =) :camp:

Health violations? Maybe, I guess for some people. But the needles are disinfected, and sterlized. No worse than a visit to a dentist or acupuncture, for sure. The Europeans talked the Tamils out of that tradition too. Another good festival 'sanitized' by the western prejudice. Just like they did to North American Sundance. I've done it, and it is an awesome penance. I'll do it again if and when I get the chance.

 

[StarryNightshade]

I've only been to one local temple. It is small-ish and is quite generalised, but I think Ganesha is the main deity as he is both in the center and is the largest murthi. The other deities include Krishna with Radha, Rama with Sita, Shiva, MahaDevi and an avatar of Vishnu whose name I cannot remember.

The people there are, generally, very friendly and are willing to help newcomers; as many visitors are students from local universities. I've had no issues with anyone (apart from an occasional stare or generally unfriendly person) and I have a few people whom I talk to on a fairly regular basis.

When I can, I plan on posting pictures of it soon.

 

[Maya3]

It sounds lovely.
Thank you for sharing.

Maya

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Health violations? Maybe, I guess for some people. But the needles are disinfected, and sterlized. No worse than a visit to a dentist or acupuncture, for sure. The Europeans talked the Tamils out of that tradition too. Another good festival 'sanitized' by the western prejudice. Just like they did to North American Sundance. I've done it, and it is an awesome penance. I'll do it again if and when I get the chance.

Ever the traditionalist , but you are right. I think temples should be allowed to organize those kinds of things if they and the Hindu community want to. It is freedom of religious expression. But unfortunately I think many choose not to exercise it because of how it would be perceived by the larger (predominantly Christian or Secular) community. I can see the misinterpretations abounding.

Toward the end of my stay, something like western "sanitizing" was trying to be enforced at my old temple. The health department had told the Temple kitchen they could not accept opened or portioned out food donations or puja offerings from people's homes) (rice, dal, sugar etc)

One of my jobs was to help "clean the rice" (remove flower petals and coins from the puja offerings before putting it in storage containers for weekend lunch preparations) so I was there when they made an announcement about it. But we realized over the next few weeks that there was no way to prevent people from making offerings any other way. This is how it's done and it's never caused a problem before. Also, it was an odd ruling because it put a restriction on dried goods - the stuff that shelves really well and not the fruit brought for aarti or archana prasadam.

So very quickly the kitchen staff ignored the ruling because so much food was going to waste. (We don't know whose offering is whose so we can't return them even if we wanted to, so the food that wasn't still in it's store bought container had to be tossed. Which is just awful from a spiritual pov.)

I don't know when the board of health will visit again, and maybe they've applied for an exception so that it's not an issue in the future. I know the health board is trying to keep people from getting sick, but as long as the items are being stored properly, and people are washing hands or wearing gloves, I don't think it's fair to make people change a fundamental part of their religious practice.

:camp:

PS. Thank you for sharing your temple, Starrynightshade! I hope you have many more temple visits in the future!

 

[Vinayaka]

FS, Yes there is definitely certain conflicts between east and west in that regard. At kumbhabishekhams when they do the temple from the top, the priests just climb up there like they were scaling some mountain. If some construction safety guy ever came by, there would be an uproar. "What? No hard hats?"

We have food bank donation boxes in our front foyer, and we had to educate devotees that they couldn't give any opened packages.

Our kitchen probably wouldn't pass an inspection either. But then neither would most community pot-lucks.

 

[Poeticus]

"What? No hard hats?"

Namaste,

The secularists ("SICKularists") in India go bonkers over the Govinda Sport (also known as Dahi Handi: Govinda sport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) and the Kumbh Mela (which I am sure you already know).

Our own "countrymen" are against us! :sad4::sad4::sad4:

M.V.

ps - If these "sickularists" tried that in Gujarat...they wouldn't survive the night. Gujarat is one of the last bastions of Hindu pride (and so is Himachal Pradesh)...Tamil Brahmins are persecuted in their own state (as I am sure you already know)....Keralites are sowing the seeds of destruction of the Nambudiris (which they almost did during the Mappila Riots which turned out to be a genocide on Hindus and the (pro-Muslim British) government did nothing to prevent it: Mappila riots - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Andhra Pradesh is too soft, UP is very pro-Muslim, Rajasthan is ....um.....not even prideful of its Hindu heritage anymore.....Delhi is obviously run by an Italian pro-Christian who shouldn't even be in power, Kashmir...well, you know how that is....etc. etc. etc. This is where Western Hindus and non-Indian Hindus come in - let's unite!!

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

This is where Western Hindus and non-Indian Hindus come in - let's unite!!

I second the notion! :camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

I think Hinduism has a good future in North America. There is definitely less government involvement (interference). I just hope we can keep most of the strong traditions alive without having it watered down too much. There has to be some limit, in my opinion.

 

[Vinayaka]

This morning was tiring. We arrived at 9, and got home at 2. These festival pujas last a long time. Procession, kodimaram abhishekham, water-cutting ceremony, yagasala kumbham abhishekham , and more. Evening program starts at 5:30. Not sure if we'll make it.

 

[Poeticus]

This morning was tiring. We arrived at 9, and got home at 2. These festival pujas last a long time. Procession, kodimaram abhishekham, water-cutting ceremony, yagasala kumbham abhishekham , and more. Evening program starts at 5:30. Not sure if we'll make it.

Namaste Vinayaka-ji,

Kindly, pray do tell what is "Kodimaram", if you have the time?

M.V.