Temple re-openings

[Vinayaka]

Tonight my local temple enters phase 3 of the province's Covid re-opening. It means masks are compulsory inside only, and social distancing is encouraged, but not enforced. Offerings (fruit and flowers) from home are now allowed. The annual festival starts tomorrow. My personal 'thanks' is in the form of a perennial dianthus garland for Siva. (Dianthus, if you have room for a garden, make great decorating flowers for home shrines. Plentiful, colourful, easy to work with.)

Boss and I will be playing it by ear in terms of our attendance, even though we've both had both shots. A huge crowd will mean we'll stay home. The ther day is on a Thursday (July 22) so that might help.

 

[JustGeorge]

Our temple has been open for awhile, with precautions. At this point, its open and just asks that you wear masks if unvaccinated, and wash any fruit offerings. They are in the process of ending their YouTube recordings.

We have a trip planned for next month. My husband and I are vaccinated. Kids aren't(too young, one phobic of needles). I'm a little nervous.

 

[Jainarayan]

I haven't been there since the cold weather, but I've been following the website and Facebook page. Ours is going pade pade, opening in steps and increments. The regular schedule of pujas is in place, open to the public, with regular hours, but there's still no prasad, tirtha, kumkum, vibhuti, etc., and of course masks, whether vaccinated or not. There are still cordoned and directions of movement to follow. It looks like they lifted the limitation of how long you can stay. I'd like to get there soon.

 

[ajay0]

In India, I have noticed that popular temples have shown a higher incidence of covid infections.

After lockdown, things are changing with greater regulations and protocols in place.

Self-control has been considered as one of the four gatekeepers to liberation and material prosperity in the Yoga Vasistha, and hence people should practice self-control as an austerity-exercise in adhering to the regulations and protocols.

Silence is considered an austerity itself, and devotees should prevent the urge to speak and gossip (thus spreading corona through air flow) and instead practice silence or internal japa.

These are creative ways by which temple worship can be safe and at the same time effective in spiritual development.

Self-control, silence, solitude, study of the scriptures, self-reflection, mantra chanting have been emphasized as meritorious , and the lockdown and future ones can be used creatively in this regard, for their practice.

 

[Martin]

The only temple in my part of the world is out in the countryside, and I can't get to it by public transport ( I don't have a car).
I've sent them several messages asking if maybe somebody in my area could offer a lift, or make contact, or whatever, but I've had no positive response. Somebody promised to phone me, but then didn't. I'm not sure whether this is due to lock down, or just how things are with them - they sound quite parochial. They have been meeting during the pandemic.
Anyway, Covid restrictions are ending here now, so I've sent them another message.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In India, following the law is an anathema, nobody does. So temple visits are out. We are not temple going people. The home niche suffices.
Various states, various rules. Uttarakhand has banned 'kanwar Yatra", Uttar Pradesh has not. Supreme Court says ban it. Devotees say we will do it. If not Haridwar, people will pick up Ganges water from other places to pour it over Lingam. Not many wearing masks.

'Do Not Come To Haridwar': Uttarakhand Police Issue New Notice On Kanwar Yatra
kanwar yatra 2021 - Google Search

 

[Aupmanyav]

Puri Rath Yatra (sans the crowds):

Rath Yatra 2021: 2 buildings sealed in Puri for allowing devotees to have rooftop view
rath yatra 2021 - Google Search

Normally, this would have been the scene:

 

[Martin]

Still no word from the Hindu temple, so I attended Mass this morning at the local Catholic Church for a bit of bhakti.
I grew up as a Catholic, so it was all comfortably familiar. I have connections with local Quakers and Pagans, so I might spend some time with them too. It's nice to spend a bit of time with "spiritual" people, even if I don't subscribe to their particular beliefs.
If there was a local Buddhist group I might call in there too.... Though it was me who used to run the local Buddhist group.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Well, Supreme Court asked the UP government not to allow "Kawar Yatra" and pass restrictions on Eid-ul-Azha festivities. Otherwise it would have involved a few hundred thousand people moving on major roads and cities, something to be avoided during these covid times. I do not know why UP allowed it in the first instance?

Still no word from the Hindu temple,

Seems you do not have many Hindu temples around your place!

 

[Jainarayan]

Still no word from the Hindu temple, so I attended Mass this morning at the local Catholic Church for a bit of bhakti.
I grew up as a Catholic, so it was all comfortably familiar. I have connections with local Quakers and Pagans, so I might spend some time with them too. It's nice to spend a bit of time with "spiritual" people, even if I don't subscribe to their particular beliefs.
If there was a local Buddhist group I might call in there too.... Though it was me who used to run the local Buddhist group.

My late father-in-law used to say “show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are”. People of like minds don’t have to have like beliefs. I’ve heard people say when they went to a house of worship not their own they didn’t feel any particular God, they just felt God. If we remember we carry God within us, wherever we are, He is. One God, many names and forms.

 

[JustGeorge]

My late father-in-law used to say “show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are”. People of like minds don’t have to have like beliefs. I’ve heard people say when they went to a house of worship not their own they didn’t feel any particular God, they just felt God. If we remember we carry God within us, wherever we are, He is. One God, many names and forms.

Something that deeply inspired me before identifying as Hindu was a Hindu girl in a documentary. She was in her early teens, I'm guessing, and was telling the interviewer that she loved God. She loved God in all forms. She would worship in the temples, in the church, in the mosque, or anywhere else, it made no difference to her, because God was within all. The enthusiasm in which she said it... you could just see the bhakti seeping out of her.

 

[Vinayaka]

We had about half the regular non-Covid crowd for ther day yesterday. Maybe slightly more. Two more days and Brahmotsavam is done for another year. After that the plan is to return to regular hours as per pre-Covid. The only rule is masks inside, and suggested social distancing. Social distancing was brutal during the Brahmotsavam. I went about half as much as usual. Almost all mornings when the crowd was small, and only 2 evenings, when crown is bigger.

Covid has changed a lot of people to the more inner aspects of our religion.

 

[Martin]

My late father-in-law used to say “show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are”. People of like minds don’t have to have like beliefs. I’ve heard people say when they went to a house of worship not their own they didn’t feel any particular God, they just felt God. If we remember we carry God within us, wherever we are, He is. One God, many names and forms.

To some extent, though how I understand the Catholic God is quite different to how I understand Brahman. And I'm not a perrenialist.
Actually when I to mass recently, the PA system wasn't very good so I didn't hear much of the actual service - which was fine! I think it was the atmosphere in the church I most appreciated.