Our Virtual Ashram

[Bhadr]

Sooo... A few days ago, I went to Paris Vinayaka mandir

( It does not happen often, as I live 7h away from the temple... And there aren't many temples in France unfortunately)

Helped and joined the puja, then stayed a bit to pray to Sri GaneshJi and .... Mata Saraswati.

Faced a year of joblessness despite my efforts and skills, the videogame industry being really, really difficult to enter. I had to go back living with my parents, and living with short term jobs and minimum pay, which was a double horrible thing since I had to face the daily verbal and emotionnal harassement from my mother (Because my other half is transsexual) and couldn't even contribute to the family budget.

One day I saw a lot of opening from the governement. They were recruiting teachers... So I considered the question. I was already offered to work as a conference master at the Louvre at 17, but turned it down to pursue my dream of being a videogame artist... Now for the second time, a teaching opportunity was here, so I took it. Since I already had a master degree, I just had to pass a year, and succeed at the big national exam.

Needless to say, this past year have been an horror.
Had to move in one day to another city, I had to squat an empty university building and to do my homework on the floor, then almost ended up homeless before miraculously finding a room... Had to struggle to pay the rent, working overnight while trying to keep up with the insane level of knowledge the school asked. Spent a year completely alone at school, cast out by pretty much everyone in my class because I was "different" (understand: not a superficial feminine generic girl that only swears by clothes and expensive shopping - I hate those things - )
Spent most of the end of the year crying while eating flour mixed with water, as it was the only thing I could afford.

I successfully passed the writing national exam, a miracle. I was confident for the 3 interviews exams that were coming after that... The places were limited, there was a lot of people still in the race.
Thought I magistrally failed the most important of them. I cried a lot, started to doubt my chances, started to despair as I didn't wanted to come back living home, without a job, like a shame.

So went to the mandir, and started praying. I told Maa everything I held inside my heart, all the doubts, suffering, exhaustion, and everything that this success could bring. I gave to Maa the last, tiny little spark of hope that was still inside of me, as a sacrifice, and I left the temple empty.

Today, the results are in, and I had great results as well as I succeeded graduating my (second !) master degree ! I am officially a teacher (and a 3D artist)

I come to share the joy at our ashram, and I bow a thousand times to beloved Sri GaneshJi and Mata Saraswati ! It is finally the end of this horrible ordeal and I can't stop being so grateful ! I gave a spark of hope to the Gods, they made it a huge fire in my chest !

Next step is to settle near Paris (NEAR THE TEMPLE <3 FINALLY !) and start to live a life. A real life !

JAI VINAYAKAJI JAI MATA SARASWATI ! HAR HAR MAHADEV !

Hi JayaBholenath,

Congratulations and I'm very happy for you.All the best.
Hara Hara Mahadev!

Yay! I'm still working on reading it myself.
Congratulations, and Jai Ganesha! Jai Maa Saraswati!

Also, I love how people's posts on RF often end up coinciding with something I was planning on posting myself.

I'd been letting my usual worship slip over the past several weeks, and just last week decided I didn't need to keep doing that. Mother's been too good to me to stop thanking her for all that She's done. I'd been feeling distant from all the gods, though, and wasn't sure what I needed to do to fix it. So I made up my mind to start doing daily puja again.

Up until very recently, my only real "worship" of Ganesha was a quick "namaha" in His direction before a puja (if I remembered). I'd just never felt much of a pull toward him. But because I was kinda stuck in this slump, I figured I should try to do more than that for Him because what do I have to lose, right? Surely the people who have advocated the worship of Ganesha throughout the ages knew more about it than I do.

So I started incorporating a quick Ganesha puja before my "main" puja, and I've also begun worshipping Mother Saraswati in her Matangi form as well as her Saraswati form.

I mention this because I'm a writer, and I've been lacking both inspiration and motivation for quite some time now. But after starting to have brief Ganesha pujas and renewing my worship of Saraswati, the inspiration has been coming back. I admit that I still don't feel terribly close to Ganesha, but He's clearly been helping me, anyway, so you won't hear me complaining.

Sri Ganesha is one of the central deities of Shaiva Sampradaya and he is considered to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati combined.
There is a nice book on Ganapati by Sri Sivaya Subramuniyaswami available online. http://himalayanacademy.com/view/loving-ganesha

 

[Bhadr]

My friends were featured on Buzzfeed. Despite my personal feeling for the site, I'm sharing it for them.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/soniathomas/rainbow-coloured-sacred-thread?utm_term=.dbJ2XMe0Xk#.fc6xdRw8dM

A Gay Hindu Wedding!Never heard of it.
Convey my greetings to your friends.

 

[Aupmanyav]

A Gay Hindu Wedding!Never heard of it.

Times change, we are likely to hear about more of them.

My current desktop background (the family temple):

Namah Shivaya.

 

[Bhadr]

My current desktop background (the family temple):
View attachment 13814 Namah Shivaya.

Aupji,

Nice pic,I think I saw it in another post too.There are two Shivalingams and two Devi Parvati murthis in the Garbhagriha,is there any reason for this?Not sure if you told us about the temple before,in case you haven't,could you make a new post about the history of temple and your relation with it.

Times change, we are likely to hear about more of them.

Yes,there is a popular saying,"Change is inevitable".

 

[Aupmanyav]

Just like the second Parvati (a little away from the midline) in whose installation my grandfather was involved (the older Parvati idol has suffered damage due to long use, I do not know how many centuries). He got made a new idol from Jaipur. But the older Parvati had its own aura. The bhaktas did not accept the new idol, even I like the older one more. So, what to do with the new idol? In end, the second one also was installed. In a similar way, some other bhakta may have brought another lingam, and that too was installed. Another bhakta installed a large Shiva idol in the courtyard of the temple blocking a whole part. The temple grows organically according to the wishes of the deities. Nothing much that we can do about it other than being amused by Prabhu's 'maya'. Prabhu ichha.

Note: Just address me as Aup. 'Ji' neither required nor deserved.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam

Thank you very much BhadrJi
I second Sri Gurudev's book, they are really excellent references and good reads for Saivite !

AupJi, that's an awesome altar and story ! You are fortunate. I juste love seeing others mandirs, they are all so different and full of diversity,, yet all incredibly beautiful !

Aum Namah shivaya

 

[Bhadr]

Just like the second Parvati (a little away from the midline) in whose installation my grandfather was involved (the older Parvati idol has suffered damage due to long use, I do not know how many centuries). He got made a new idol from Jaipur. But the older Parvati had its own aura. The bhaktas did not accept the new idol, even I like the older one more. So, what to do with the new idol? In end, the second one also was installed. In a similar way, some other bhakta may have brought another lingam, and that too was installed. Another bhakta installed a large Shiva idol in the courtyard of the temple blocking a whole part. The temple grows organically according to the wishes of the deities. Nothing much that we can do about it other than being amused by Prabhu's 'maya'. Prabhu ichha.

Note: Just address me as Aup. 'Ji' neither required nor deserved.

Aupji, (you're an elder person,addressing in any other way else would be disrespectful,so Aupjee only ji )

Would like to see more pictures of the shrine.

Vanakkam

Thank you very much BhadrJi
I second Sri Gurudev's book, they are really excellent references and good reads for Saivite !

AupJi, that's an awesome altar and story ! You are fortunate. I juste love seeing others mandirs, they are all so different and full of diversity,, yet all incredibly beautiful !

Aum Namah shivaya

Yes,very fortunate,few persons have the chance to be involved with temples.I too like see as many as possible - virtual darshan.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes,very fortunate,few persons have the chance to be involved with temples.I too like see as many as possible - virtual darshan.

Bhadr, I'm curious about the idea 'very few persons' . What makes you feel this way? Anyone who lives near a temple, and most Hindus do, can volunteer.

 

[Bhadr]

Bhadr, I'm curious about the idea 'very few persons' . What makes you feel this way? Anyone who lives near a temple, and most Hindus do, can volunteer.

Where I live most temples are run by the government(probably all over India?). Officials are appointed by the government's department to manage temples and others like priests,cooks,sweepers,security.. all are appointed by the govt.Painting,decorating,landscaping,lighting,renovation....whatever works are required, are done by temple employees and for expensive works tenders are called and allotted to the bidders.There is nothing left for devotees to do as seva,temples here have both man power and funds.Devotees can donate in cash/kind,that's all.We visit,have darshan and leave,no chance for personal involvement.The only people apart from temple employees who have the opportunity to participate in temple activities closely are people whose ancestors constructed the temple or were involved in managing it in the past,they were absorbed into the temple boards as trustees/supervisors,maybe they have a vote or voice their opinion.

 

[Vinayaka]

Where I live most temples are run by the government(probably all over India?). Officials are appointed by the government's department to manage temples and others like priests,cooks,sweepers,security.. all are appointed by the govt.Painting,decorating,landscaping,lighting,renovation....whatever works are required, are done by temple employees and for expensive works tenders are called and allotted to the bidders.There is nothing left for devotees to do as seva,temples here have both man power and funds.Devotees can donate in cash/kind,that's all.We visit,have darshan and leave,no chance for personal involvement.The only people apart from temple employees who have the opportunity to participate in temple activities closely are people whose ancestors constructed the temple or were involved in managing it in the past,they were absorbed into the temple boards as trustees/supervisors,maybe they have a vote or voice their opinion.

Thank you, it was more or less what I figured. Here in the west it is the opposite. Temples need a lot of help, some get it, and some don't. Definitely not under government control. It also explains why volunteers are hard to find, especially among the more recent immigrants. They've been programmed that help isn't necessary.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Management of donations is a problem in nearly all Indian temples, even counting of the money placed in donation boxes, whatever be the management. In our temple, the money goes to the families of the priests on rotation basis. If some work at the temple requires money, the community donates for that purpose. If it is a government instituted committee, then there is corruption in giving contracts for various services. Vinayaka, you must be aware of what goes on in India. I hope the Modi government will do something about it in time.

 

[Vinayaka]

Vinayaka, you must be aware of what goes on in India. I hope the Modi government will do something about it in time.

Aup, I'm about as aware of what goes on in India as you are aware of what goes on in North America.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In that case, please know that money management in temples is very lax and a lot of donations, money and precious metal gifts are stolen by the employees of temples. What to talk of temples, Gold disappears in India even from the secure vaults of the customs department (equivlent to Fort Knox in USA):
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ustoms-secure-vaults/articleshow/48984745.cms

 

[Vinayaka]

I have friends in Chidambaram. They used to live here, but returned to India for good maybe 15 years back. She co-ordinates a group of 10 or so volunteers who diligently go out one day a week to an older and smaller temple specifically for cleaning. (The temples change each week, so they cover several temples) Nobody is telling her group to stop. There are hundreds of corner roadside shrines all over India. Some are well keep and others... not so much. Apparently the government is so much in control, and has so much free money to spend on enforcement that some guy in a uniform is going to go up to a little old lady taking an old garland of a corner shrine and replacing it with a new one, and yell at her, Stop that! It\s not your job. If you don't cease and desist, I'll arrest you!"

That's the impression I'm getting here.

Seva may take a bit of creativity, but it's always there ... anywhere, any time. How come people have lost the will, and make excuses instead?

 

[Bhadr]

Apparently the government is so much in control, and has so much free money to spend on enforcement that some guy in a uniform is going to go up to a little old lady taking an old garland of a corner shrine and replacing it with a new one, and yell at her, Stop that! It\s not your job. If you don't cease and desist, I'll arrest you!"

That's the impression I'm getting here.

Funny thing you mentioned it now,it actually happened.I've seen some devotees getting warned by the employees for venturing to garland a Ganesha idol in open mandapa.

How come people have lost the will, and make excuses instead?

No,didn't lose the will do seva.There is hardly anything to do after everything has been taken care of.Some still sweep the road outside the temple and put rangolis,some tie garlands and offer.......temples here don't depend on devotees to take care of internal functioning anymore.

 

[Vinayaka]

Bhadr, I've only been to TN, and a very little bit anywhere else. I don't know how much it varies across India. But if things like weddings, style of worship, clothing, and language, are any indicators, I'm guessing it varies quite substantially. When you say government controlled, I think it is state governments, no, and not the national government. I know the National Historic sites or Unesco world Heritage sites (like Tanjore temple in Thanjavur) are controlled by the National government. In TN, some were and some weren't.

I know Aup is in Delhi, and I don't know where you are.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Srilankan, South Indian names:
HMRKB Herath: Herath Mudiyanselage Rangana Keerthi Bandara Herath
PADLR Sandakan: Paththamperuma Arachchige Don Lakshan Rangika Sandakan
Sandakan's (he is a debutant spinner in the Srilankan cricket team) with most shortened words: 5

 

[Aupmanyav]

Seva may take a bit of creativity, but it's always there .. anywhere, any time. How come people have lost the will, and make excuses instead?

Many of the temples are owned by individual priests, and even if not, they will resent intrusion of others in the affairs of the temple.

I've seen some devotees getting warned by the employees for venturing to garland a Ganesha idol in open mandapa.

Shoucha. Have you taken your bath? At some temples, are you a brahmin? Various restrictions, not all valid.

I know the National Historic sites or Unesco world Heritage sites (like Tanjore temple in Thanjavur) are controlled by the National government. In TN, some were and some weren't.

ASI, Archaeological Survey of India for advice on safety or repair work. Temple management with various Devasthanams.

 

[Bhadr]

Bhadr, I've only been to TN, and a very little bit anywhere else. I don't know how much it varies across India. But if things like weddings, style of worship, clothing, and language, are any indicators, I'm guessing it varies quite substantially. When you say government controlled, I think it is state governments, no, and not the national government. I know the National Historic sites or Unesco world Heritage sites (like Tanjore temple in Thanjavur) are controlled by the National government. In TN, some were and some weren't.

Yes,its state controlled.AFAIK the only big temple managed privately is the Chidambaram temple.
(small shrines and roadside temples are too small so no involvement is there)

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/centuryold-temple-conflict-ends/article5545264.ece

Many of the temples are owned by individual priests, and even if not, they will resent intrusion of others in the affairs of the temple.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150615/nation-current-affairs/article/rivalry-escalates-tirumala

Have you taken your bath?

Does anyone go to temples without taking bath!
Anyway,the point isn't about what kind of restrictions or who is being restricted,its about involvement.I don't know what goes on in the north but locally its simple,"come,have darshan,get puja done,done","just see,don't do anything"

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. but locally its simple,"come,have darshan,get puja done,done","just see,don't do anything"

In North, not all people take bath before going to the temple. It is come, do puja (take the priest's help if you require it, in that case you pay whatever is decided between you and the priest, otherwise do it yourself), do not touch anything other than the feet of the deity. If from an untouchable caste, do not touch any part of the idol. If you worship the deities in an 'ashoucha' condition, the responsibility and the consequences are yours only.