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Temple Visits
- Thread starter Fireside_Hindu
- Start date
SpentaMaynu
One God, All in all
मैत्रावरुणिः;3449220 said:
i guess it should be, wanted that specific word so i searched for alternative spellings as it were used by many twitter users
We just returned from Vancouver, where we visited 3 temples, the Ganesha temple on Fraser, the Murugan temple on River Road, and a new Hanuman temple in Surrey. We have great timing, and ShivaFan isn't going to like this story ... but.
We get there and read about a Hanuman temple in the all South Indian vegetarian restaurant. Always up for an adventure, and because I've been trying to figure out who Hanuman is (I don't mean in the puranas, but for real, mystically) so we decide to hunt this place down. When we get there, (a small warehouse style temple) it's a mess, but the priest/founder lets us know that the next day he's unloading the crates full of new murthis and invites us. So of course we go. A total of 12 tons is moved from the storage facility to the temple with a picker truck, and a forklift. Hanuman is about 6 feet high, maybe more, and is sitting in lotus, like a dakshinamurthy, on his tale cause there's no grass (a story from a Purana we're told several times over). It's the first time we're able to witness such an event first hand, thanks to that timing God, our friend Ganesha. So Ganesha is there too, a Sivalingam (duplicate as as in Tiruvanamalai)Lakshmi, Balaji, and Parvati, all quite large. Ganesha goes first onto the pre-set peethams, forklift driver is really careful (a Sikh) but it goes well. Next is Hanuman, all 3 tons or so, and the forklift can barely handle it. As it gets higher it starts wavering as if to tip forward, so about 4 of the heaviest men around get on the back of the forklift to as counterweight, all in this joyous mood. http://www.yogahanumantemple.ca/
So by then it's a bout 8 in the evening, and we leave, but 3 days later we got to go again. Nice little experience there. Beautiful granite work
We get there and read about a Hanuman temple in the all South Indian vegetarian restaurant. Always up for an adventure, and because I've been trying to figure out who Hanuman is (I don't mean in the puranas, but for real, mystically) so we decide to hunt this place down. When we get there, (a small warehouse style temple) it's a mess, but the priest/founder lets us know that the next day he's unloading the crates full of new murthis and invites us. So of course we go. A total of 12 tons is moved from the storage facility to the temple with a picker truck, and a forklift. Hanuman is about 6 feet high, maybe more, and is sitting in lotus, like a dakshinamurthy, on his tale cause there's no grass (a story from a Purana we're told several times over). It's the first time we're able to witness such an event first hand, thanks to that timing God, our friend Ganesha. So Ganesha is there too, a Sivalingam (duplicate as as in Tiruvanamalai)Lakshmi, Balaji, and Parvati, all quite large. Ganesha goes first onto the pre-set peethams, forklift driver is really careful (a Sikh) but it goes well. Next is Hanuman, all 3 tons or so, and the forklift can barely handle it. As it gets higher it starts wavering as if to tip forward, so about 4 of the heaviest men around get on the back of the forklift to as counterweight, all in this joyous mood. http://www.yogahanumantemple.ca/
So by then it's a bout 8 in the evening, and we leave, but 3 days later we got to go again. Nice little experience there. Beautiful granite work
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The soul, or the body/mind this soul temporarily inhabits?
Somehow I got some kind of reward from RF while I was gone. Now that's embarrassing. Besides, I have no idea what it means. Too bad some cash wasn't involved.
Sb1995
Om Sai Ram
According to the recognition, you are an excellent representative of Hinduism!
This answer has two benefits
1) Convincing people that you have brahmavidya
2) Annoying people who want you to do stuff
"Go do your chores"
"Who, this body made of clay, or the immovable Atman?"
This answer has two benefits
1) Convincing people that you have brahmavidya
2) Annoying people who want you to do stuff
"Go do your chores"
"Who, this body made of clay, or the immovable Atman?"
1 is the reason ... 2, well nobody wants this embodied jiva to go do stuff any more, but some young'uns do get that a lot.
It's always good to remember somewhere just who we really are.
1 is the reason ... 2, well nobody wants this embodied jiva to go do stuff any more, but some young'uns do get that a lot.
It's always good to remember somewhere just who we really are.
BTW, can you tell me about the rules of worship for various deities, specially Shiva? I went to a temple recently and stood stupidly as people poured panchamrita on the linga. My practical knowledge is limited
Sb1995
Om Sai Ram
Just take a bowl of water or milk and pour it on the lingam and say "Om namah shivaya"
No one stands stupidly in temple.
You and your heart are there for you and God. If you mentally did the same as everyone else did, the Lord would smile at your devotion.
The rules of worship vary. I'm a Saivite, and in the temples I go to commonly, the devotee sits or stands while the priest does the puja. So about your only role is to watch. pray while you watch, and then take the sacraments at the end of the puja. Taking sacraments varies somewhat from temple to temple, or rather, the distribution of sacraments varies. Usually you get flame, teertham, vibhuthi, chandanam, and kumkum, maybe a flower or fruit prasadam.
North Indian style temples or blended temples are much different, somewhat more relaxed. Probably the best thing is to watch what others do, or if you are invited to participate, just do it. You might be asked to do abhishekham, for example.
Hope this is of some assistance.
Thanks. Are there universal timings for pujas, or do they vary from place to place?
Sb1995
Om Sai Ram
From what i've seen puja's are performed early in the morning (6am-8am) or in the evening from (6pm-8pm) but I think thats just the way the temple does it. I don't think there is actual times
The Ganesha temple on Fraser Street in Vancouver is new. They had their Mahakumbabhishekham last December I think. It's a warm place, and Ganesha predominates. It's also a pure Saiva temple, so only forms of Siva, Murugan, and Bhairava are present. There are no Shaktis standing alone, and no Vaishnava murthies. We went on a quiet evening, and there were 2 priests, but one was just visiting for the Lakshmi puja. I didn't find the shakti all that strong, perhaps due to how old it is. Still it was a calm place. One really neat feature is a glass front door, so when the temple is closed, you can still get His darshan walking or driving past. http://www.sriganeshbc.com/
'Shakti' in this sense means darshan or energy. It depends on the person. Imagine the scent of a rose. It's always there, but some people with poor olfactory glands (smellers) won't get much. Other people will, and still others will sneeze. That odor is hard to describe, as is shakti hard to describe.
Let's just say you feel a shift in consciousness to calmness, your breathing changes naturally, as does heart rate, and you feel that 'something' is there, and generally speaking, you like it. This is why bhaktars enter temples.
The third temple we went to is a privately run Murugan temple on River Road in Richmond. It's not big, but it's my favorite temple in that beautiful city. We went twice, and it would be the 'home' temple if I lived there. It's not that easy to find because there are no signs, but for a Saiva like me, well worth it.
It's a pure Saiva temple, the central moolasthanam is a 3 deity shrine, but the deities are separated by walls, so you can focus on your choice. Murugan is in the middle, Ganesha on His right, and a Lingam on the left. The planets are also there, as well as a smaller parade deity shrine, and a small Devi shrine.
It immediately feels like the best place to sit and meditate, nobody talks, it's not social at all, and has tranquility written all over it.
The priest actually chants slow and clear, which is almost unusual these days. So we witnessed the pujas ... 108 names to all 3, lots of flowers, etc. , and then sat some more. Really inner place, but it helps to love Murugan.
http://www.richmondmurugan.com/abouttherichmondsrimurugantemple
It's a pure Saiva temple, the central moolasthanam is a 3 deity shrine, but the deities are separated by walls, so you can focus on your choice. Murugan is in the middle, Ganesha on His right, and a Lingam on the left. The planets are also there, as well as a smaller parade deity shrine, and a small Devi shrine.
It immediately feels like the best place to sit and meditate, nobody talks, it's not social at all, and has tranquility written all over it.
The priest actually chants slow and clear, which is almost unusual these days. So we witnessed the pujas ... 108 names to all 3, lots of flowers, etc. , and then sat some more. Really inner place, but it helps to love Murugan.
http://www.richmondmurugan.com/abouttherichmondsrimurugantemple
Fireside_Hindu
Jai Lakshmi Maa
Sounds wonderful! I would love to find a pure Shakti Temple, but temples to one deity only (Or one "family" of deities) is very rare - or so I understand. I've certainly not been to one yet. I' glad you found it!
:camp:
Oh, they exist.
The one in Lanham near DC is pure Saiva, one in Pittsburgh is pure Vaishnava. Not sure about the Rajarajeshwari one in Rochester. The problem is financial. That coupled with a lack of understanding of how mystic they are, and you get these newer versions ... only in North America .. alas.