Islington
Member
Greetings, everyone!
So, about this website I mentioned in @DeviChaaya 's thread, earlier!
I tried to approach the subject with the temple manager but he waved me off, saying that I should come back later. I still feel a bit uneasy around the managers when I have to interact with them directly and... must say that it kind of threw me back.
I... think it will be best if I bring it back fully done. Maybe he will understand then? And if he doesn't and refuses the gift, well. C'est la vie, as we say.
I went with these questions:
What kind of information would I expect to find, if I went to visit a temple for the first time?
Would I use my temple website and how, why?
Then, navigating the temple website, a brief comment:
It should be noted that Ganesh temple in Paris does have a website but it looks a bit outdated and one can get easily lost while navigating it (you can be on the English version on one page, then you click a link and bam! it's back to French). But it is also quite documented, the glossary is nice for learning, if you manage to find it, there is also a page for mantras and another that is named "special events" but could really be all news where they seem very proud to have received a film-maker and the swamis from Kauai. Of course, they also have a page that lists ceremonies and the prices (nothing being said about sponsoring a puja)
They also organize the biggest Hindu event of Paris, a big procession for Ganesh Chartuthi, each year.
tl;dr: despite its appearance and the lack of clear navigation, this temple website offers a lot of information about Hinduism (maybe too much).
Devi said that the website would need pictures of murtis, I agree on that!
I met some white devotees of Amma who visited the temple for the first time, a few months ago... and they were completely at a loss in front of the deities.
I sat with them and told them the few I know but their first reaction, were very interesting. To the lingam, they said: "This is Shiva? But I thought Shiva was the one with many arms!" ; in front of Vishnu they asked "Who is this?" and for Kali "What does she do?"
Maybe, had they come across pictures on a website, they would have felt already acquainted with their divine hosts.
What do you think a website should offer, then, for both the usual and new devotees?
So, about this website I mentioned in @DeviChaaya 's thread, earlier!
I tried to approach the subject with the temple manager but he waved me off, saying that I should come back later. I still feel a bit uneasy around the managers when I have to interact with them directly and... must say that it kind of threw me back.
I... think it will be best if I bring it back fully done. Maybe he will understand then? And if he doesn't and refuses the gift, well. C'est la vie, as we say.
I went with these questions:
What kind of information would I expect to find, if I went to visit a temple for the first time?
Would I use my temple website and how, why?
Then, navigating the temple website, a brief comment:
It should be noted that Ganesh temple in Paris does have a website but it looks a bit outdated and one can get easily lost while navigating it (you can be on the English version on one page, then you click a link and bam! it's back to French). But it is also quite documented, the glossary is nice for learning, if you manage to find it, there is also a page for mantras and another that is named "special events" but could really be all news where they seem very proud to have received a film-maker and the swamis from Kauai. Of course, they also have a page that lists ceremonies and the prices (nothing being said about sponsoring a puja)
They also organize the biggest Hindu event of Paris, a big procession for Ganesh Chartuthi, each year.
tl;dr: despite its appearance and the lack of clear navigation, this temple website offers a lot of information about Hinduism (maybe too much).
Devi said that the website would need pictures of murtis, I agree on that!
I met some white devotees of Amma who visited the temple for the first time, a few months ago... and they were completely at a loss in front of the deities.
I sat with them and told them the few I know but their first reaction, were very interesting. To the lingam, they said: "This is Shiva? But I thought Shiva was the one with many arms!" ; in front of Vishnu they asked "Who is this?" and for Kali "What does she do?"
Maybe, had they come across pictures on a website, they would have felt already acquainted with their divine hosts.
What do you think a website should offer, then, for both the usual and new devotees?
I spent last week browsing at these kind of websites but didn't know the one you mentioned.
