Temple Visits

[Fireside_Hindu]

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.

Oh the Rajarajeshwari Temple! That has been on my list for a while. It's 5 hours away from me, but I would really love to visit it. Here's what the website says :

......the Temple founder and Peetadhipati, has explained that the Temple is a “Sakti Pradhana Sivalayam,” meaning that the divine energies of both Siva and Sakti are present, but the Sakti, or Mother, principle is the foremost aspect of Divinity here.

I should plan a visit before winter sets in.

:camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

rolled this AM, (a tradition for Murugan bhaktars) the birthday gift to self ... it rained last night, and was cold, so I got wet, but this temple is nothing compared to rolling at Nallur in the hot sand or the distances at Palani or Tiruchendur on the concrete. Maybe 15 people, only 2 arrived before I finished, so that was good. It's getting tougher every year. see Shayana pradakshina here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parikrama

 

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

I stopped at the local Shiva Muruga Temple tonight due to high expectations at work related to a project and looking for a little encouragement that I would successfully bring result.

I arrived about 8 pm. The door to the temple entrance was open, and with twilight set in the jyoti from the altar shown magically for all to see from outside in the neighborhood. I could see the Murtis clearly from my car as I pulled up to the street curb to park.

Inside, after giving my obeisances to the Divities, I could see there was no priest, no puja. But beautiful temple music was being played. There was one Tamil family tucked together in the front left before Ganesha.

I was sitting for only a couple of minutes, center right, and laying my thoughts and worry before Lord Muruga. I looked at His Vel and said, "I hope my work will be done soon and successful"...

That very moment a flower from Skanda's own right shoulder (to my viewing left) dropped from His body and tumbled to His front.

A VERY good sign! (in my opinion)

I left fully confident.

Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam !

That very moment a flower from Skanda's own right shoulder (to my viewing left) dropped from His body and tumbled to His front.

ShivaFan, it's wonderful, and something like this happened to me some days ago too ! Every evening I go to Shiv temple near my place, and on the way there is a tiny temple hidden in a corner, behind a sacred tree. I decided to stop there one day and my heart melted when seeing a wonderful, majestic Dattatreya looking at me ! Since then, I go see Datta every evening too after paying respect to Shiv.
One day after my offerings I bowed to Sri Datta, took his feets in my hands and said that I wasn't a devotee of Him, because I didn't know anything about Him, and that I was a householder and not a renuncant. I was begging Him to forgive all of that and to, please, accept my sincere love for you.
And then just as I was saying that a flower from the murti fell on my head !

That is why I love temples, even tiny ones: you can feel, God is here, really here

Aum Namah Shivaya

 

[ShivaFan]

JayaBholenath You are Blessed!
i Too have recently in the last year fallen for Dattatreya. Theflower fell on your blessed head! I humbly ask you say a prayer to Dattatreya for me. Om Namah Sivaya

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Vanakkam,

JayaBholenath You are Blessed!
i Too have recently in the last year fallen for Dattatreya. Theflower fell on your blessed head! I humbly ask you say a prayer to Dattatreya for me. Om Namah Sivaya

I promise that from now on, every evening when I go to Datta temple till I leave India, you will be each time in my prayer !

Aum Namah Shivaya !

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Namaste

I stopped at the local Shiva Muruga Temple tonight due to high expectations at work related to a project and looking for a little encouragement that I would successfully bring result.

I arrived about 8 pm. The door to the temple entrance was open, and with twilight set in the jyoti from the altar shown magically for all to see from outside in the neighborhood. I could see the Murtis clearly from my car as I pulled up to the street curb to park.

Inside, after giving my obeisances to the Divities, I could see there was no priest, no puja. But beautiful temple music was being played. There was one Tamil family tucked together in the front left before Ganesha.

I was sitting for only a couple of minutes, center right, and laying my thoughts and worry before Lord Muruga. I looked at His Vel and said, "I hope my work will be done soon and successful"...

That very moment a flower from Skanda's own right shoulder (to my viewing left) dropped from His body and tumbled to His front.

A VERY good sign! (in my opinion)

I left fully confident.

Om Namah Sivaya

What a great story! I have never had anything like this happen to me, however, the first time I went to a new temple and sat before the Ram Parivar, I asked Sita-Ram again for their blessing of my art project and a gentle breath of wind brush my cheek from the side. There were no open windows or doors in the temple! I thought at first it could have been the AC kicking on, but I saw no vents. It could have been some sort of air pressure change that I don't understand, but I still feel like God was there with me

:camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

This has happened to me too. Some may call it coincidence, but when it's an actual thought at just the right time ... well?

Other indicators I've heard of ... electricity outages or surges (Once a long time ago we had a lightbulb pop on the altar at exactly the moment an abhishekham was starting on Sivaratri night)

- deities winking (Several people at our temple have told of this one ... same murthi, same eye.)
- arrivals of people at exact moments in pujas
- sunlight shifting past pillars, etc.

So you are blessed to have this confirmation from the Gods.

 

[Yogi1054]

Sometimes its really hard being not to be nervous - I went on my annual visit to Leicester to take my Tulsi plants to the new Tamil temple that had opended - SAT nav went mad and ended up at The Shri Hindu Mandir just in time to offer my plants to Lord Krishna Shree Hindu Mandir (Temple) and Community Centre - Shree Hindu Mandir (Temple) and Community Centre Leicester

I must have stuck out being the only whiteman 6'7 tall and not speaking a word of Gujrati - but im sure Krishna was pleased with my offering!!!

 

[Vinayaka]

So I go to temple this morning, and it's all pretty quiet. Two people at the main puja. I go to the back to sit in front of the Siva shrine to sit and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the place, and to do a few rounds of japa.

About 15 minutes later I hear a noise. A devotee's cell phone about 3 meters away. So he answers it and starts yapping away to some friend, work, who knows? Arrgh. I never like this position, especially in the midst of a tranquil moment.

1) What is a temple for? Is there any place left on the planet besides one's own home where a person can just sit and enjoy the presence of God?
2) What happened to this person that he somehow lost the reason for a temple?
3) Can this person read? There is a clear sign at the door that devotees are required to turn off electronic gadgets?
4) Was I using my siddhis to be invisible? Didn't he notice that another devotee (me, in this case, but it could have been several other people in our community who enjoy sitting after the puja) How impossible is that to notice, and then how rude is it to interruplt the peace and silence?

I stopped my meditation, stood up and said, "Excuse me, but could you take it downstairs?" Then I get this nasty stare that indicates he thinks its me interrupting him. Fine. Whatever. Then on my way back, there's another devotee, a lady, sitting there yammering away on her cellphone. So 2 out of 3 people at the temple are yapping on their cellphones.

This incident is indicative of a disturbing trend. People have lost the knowledge of what a temple is. It's sad. When your own selfish and compulsive needs to talk to somebody come before prayer, etc., and you're not alone in this unawareness leaning towards disrespect for the mystic and sacred space we call a temple, maybe Hinduism is in trouble after all.

I really feel like making a huge billboard that reads, "Please leave your cellphones in your car!" and place it right at where the parking lot turns to sidewalk. Perhaps I need to make 3 billboards ... one in English, one in Tamil, and one in Hindi. There really are no excuses.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

So I go to temple this morning, and it's all pretty quiet. Two people at the main puja. I go to the back to sit in front of the Siva shrine to sit and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the place, and to do a few rounds of japa.

About 15 minutes later I hear a noise. A devotee's cell phone about 3 meters away. So he answers it and starts yapping away to some friend, work, who knows? Arrgh. I never like this position, especially in the midst of a tranquil moment.

1) What is a temple for? Is there any place left on the planet besides one's own home where a person can just sit and enjoy the presence of God?
2) What happened to this person that he somehow lost the reason for a temple?
3) Can this person read? There is a clear sign at the door that devotees are required to turn off electronic gadgets?
4) Was I using my siddhis to be invisible? Didn't he notice that another devotee (me, in this case, but it could have been several other people in our community who enjoy sitting after the puja) How impossible is that to notice, and then how rude is it to interruplt the peace and silence?

I stopped my meditation, stood up and said, "Excuse me, but could you take it downstairs?" Then I get this nasty stare that indicates he thinks its me interrupting him. Fine. Whatever. Then on my way back, there's another devotee, a lady, sitting there yammering away on her cellphone. So 2 out of 3 people at the temple are yapping on their cellphones.

This incident is indicative of a disturbing trend. People have lost the knowledge of what a temple is. It's sad. When your own selfish and compulsive needs to talk to somebody come before prayer, etc., and you're not alone in this unawareness leaning towards disrespect for the mystic and sacred space we call a temple, maybe Hinduism is in trouble after all.

I really feel like making a huge billboard that reads, "Please leave your cellphones in your car!" and place it right at where the parking lot turns to sidewalk. Perhaps I need to make 3 billboards ... one in English, one in Tamil, and one in Hindi. There really are no excuses.

This has always bothered me too. I have always turned my phone off before going into Temple/Church - really anywhere where common sense would say, 'hey, this is a sacred space'. Not low, not vibrate -OFF. I'm already easy to distract, why make it worse?

It bothers me that people can't leave their phones alone for so much as an hour. What could you possibly miss that can't be taken care of later? Waiting on an important call? Come to temple afterward then.

I used to work as a front desk clerk at a hotel and it drove me mad when people would try to check in while on their cell phones. I would try to ask them important information about their reservation, bu they were give me a nasty look or hold up their hand rudely. Look bub, if the call is so important, get away from the desk so I can actually help other guests.

I'm sorry you had a less then tranquil visit. Perhaps improved signage would help, or maybe ask a volunteer on site that day to be a sort of cell phone police. It's silly that we have to baby adults about things like that but hey, if you act inconsiderate, you're going to get accosted.

:camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

maybe ask a volunteer on site that day to be a sort of cell phone police.
:camp:

Often the manager does take care of it, but today he was downstairs moving stuff around. With only 2 or 3 people at the temple, he shouldn't have to be a bouncer. It's odd how sometimes it seems that the fewer people there are, things like this are more likely. If he'd have been there on a busier day, someone else would have gotten to him before me. I suppose 30 angry stares are worse than 1, and he may not even have thought to answer it.

But for me, it's more about the sanctity and the Gods, disrespecting Them more than the devotees. It just seems so very foreign to me, and what I've been programmed (or programmed myself) into the basic perception of what a temple is.

If it's a place to commune with God, and you commune with your buddy, what does that say about your respect, (and ultimately belief) in God?

Oh well.

 

[Poeticus]

Namaste,

I am proud that you told the interloper to take his disturbance somewhere else. When one disturbs the flow of energy in the temple, it affects everyone, even the Shri Murtis, and the chakric balance.

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste,

I am proud that you told the interloper to take his disturbance somewhere else. When one disturbs the flow of energy in the temple, it affects everyone, even the Shri Murtis, and the chakric balance.

In the eastern view, the temple is sacred. The devotees are so incredibly lucky here in the west even to have a temple to visit. The devotees who build temples often put their hearts and soul (and money) into this place, the home of the Gods. It is rarified atmosphere, a place so strong that the overwhelming power of the deities can change your life. The priests work hard to sanctify it, and the hard core devotees step into it like they are stepping onto an airplane going for a long ride, or have been invited into the White House, or Buckingham Palace to visit the queen. They know the difference, prostrate humbly before God and Gods, treat the priests with respect, always bring fruit and flowers, wash their feet before entering, and more. They shower and brush teeth right before going, often fast, and more. But more than anything, they FEEL it. Tears well, the Gods erase the negativity, and they bask in the spiritual sunlight of the place, having full faith karmas will be lightened.

In the western view, it's nothing more than a building, a meeting place where people congregate. It's just a place to have a lunch, go have coffee, or meet friends. You can go anytime at all - after work, without showering, stop by on the way to work. It's sort of this obligation that you have to do because your parents did. But God isn't actually real, and the temple is really no more special than the neighbourhood meat market.

So we're actually dealing with an east/west difference here again, although this morning the east/west in physical bodies was reversed.

 

[Vinayaka]

- a lot nicer today, two very sweet children, no cell phones, but I've decided that in future I'm just going to prostrate, get up, and go home. It's just not worth the hassle of being a devotee and a bouncer at the same time.

 

[Yogi1054]

I was really lucky with the last temple I went to in Nottingham Uk - Maa Bhagwati Shakti Peeth it was just myself and the Priest. I was so fortunate to have the temple to my whole self and then have a good chat with the priest about his Native Skati tradtiton of Southern India and my experince of Northern Indian Tantric worship

Home

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I am slowly making myself known at the temple I live near in my new state. I have been speaking back and forth with the temple president and the head of the after school program. I went in early today so that I could have darshan and pray before volunteering to do some much needed weeding near the entrance.

I introduced myself to one of the priests I hadn't met yet. He was very kind. He asked me about my interest in Hinduism and I explained my previous attendance at my former temple. After I was done praying, and he was giving me prasad he said (English was a bit broken)

"It is good that you choose this. We (pointing to himself) sometimes know but do not do."

Which I interpreted as meaning it is good that I came to Hinduism by choice? And that sometimes when you grow up in a religion you forget to practice it? Or it becomes a little tired? In any case, more peace of mind for those coming to Hinduism later in life, that most born Hindus are more then accepting - they are pleased that we practice.

Later as I was working outside, the president pulled up and introduced himself. He asked me straight out if I was a Hindu. I was a little nervous but I didn't hesitate, "Yes, I practice Hinduism." He didn't seem phased. With every affirmative response I make to that question, it becomes more and more real for me, and the strangeness of it falls away. It feels good - freeing.

I later spoke to the head of the after school program about my interest in learning Hindi. They are setting up a special class just for me and two other adults that want to learn Hindi since the classes that are already in place are geared more for children. I feel amazing blessed to have such a resource!

:camp:

 

[Vinayaka]

With every affirmative response I make to that question, it becomes more and more real for me, and the strangeness of it falls away. It feels good - freeing.

:camp:

You write beautiful words that ring so true for my past. It as if some aspects of an earlier time are being replayed, and I get to observe it all over again. Thank you for that.

Now, after 35 years of declaring, I am totally free from whatever I was before, which is somewhat debatable in itself.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

You write beautiful words that ring so true for my past. It as if some aspects of an earlier time are being replayed, and I get to observe it all over again. Thank you for that.

Now, after 35 years of declaring, I am totally free from whatever I was before, which is somewhat debatable in itself.

Well thanks! That trip down memory lane is free- the next one will cost you though!

I used to be a prolific writer as a teen when I had lots of angsty things to dramatize on paper, but I haven't done it in a while because I am self conscious about grasp of grammar. However, I've thought about writing an article for Hinduism Today about my experiences to see if it would offer some encouragement to other "Closet Hindus" in the US and elsewhere. I know they are very choosy though. Who knows. I might give it a go.

:camp:

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Religion, cultural and language classes have started up for the kids at my local temple. I am enrolled in the Hindi 3 class, and although I am the oldest person in the class by about 10 years, I still enjoy it.

After my class was over I was sitting on the sidelines during the Religion 1 class. (This class is held in an open area of the basement, so it's not echnically in it's own classroom.)

A few other parents were also sitting by. I have to say the teacher of the class was very engaging. She told a story about the Birth of Ganesha that I had never heard before that I actually prefer to the more well known one where his head is cut off, then replaced with an elephant's.

So perhaps I will get that Hindu religious education I was talking about before. Of course, these classes are for kids so a lot of it is simplified, but I still enjoyed it.

Before classes I arrived early so that I would have time to make a garland for Sita. Since the Murtis are larger then my former temple, I thought it would be better to use larger flowers. Unfortunately, they were much more difficult to tie, and I ended up stringing them with a needle instead. The priest said that instead of giving the garland to Sita, he would touch it to Lakshman, Ram and Sita before giving it to Hanuman. His explanation had something to do with not wanting to have Sita with a garland while the Rama and Lakshman had none. (I would have made garlands for all three, but it was too expensive)

I didn't think it was important but I didn't argue either, since all are one and the same truly. In fact, I always remember that Sita gave Hanuman her pearls and so she would probably find it fitting that the garland meant for her neck went to him instead. Hanuman was already wearing a garland of what looked like rolled up leaves (paan leaves? Betel leaves?) but the priest removed it and instructed me to hold the garland to my face and smell the scent, then touch it to my eyes and the top of my head before throwing it out. I was not familiar with this gesture but always happy to learn something new.


Over-all I think people still aren't sure what to make of me since I am still new, but I help out wherever I can and that seems to put people at ease.


:camp: