SOMETHING’S WRONG AT OUR TEMPLES

[Guest guest]

Avaricious priests sully sacred places as does denial of entry

to "non-hindus"

 

Temples are the abodes of God, filled with sanctity and peace. The

major temples of India are endowed with architectural beauty and

splendid brilliance. We marvel at their richness of art and the

dramatic depiction of philosophy, thought and tradition. What do all

these temples, both major and minor, seasonal and year round,

scattered the width and length of the country represent? Nothing

other than the best of our Hindu Culture.

 

The experience one has at temples varies, but mostly it is satisfying

to people from all walks of life. Through the years, I visited some

of the very famous temples and experienced the splendid beauty of the

presiding Gods and Goddess in these places of unmatched holiness.

Although my experiences are diverse and many, I would like to address

in this essay two major concerns which I encountered frequently

during these trips.

 

After a pleasant and rewarding trip to Manasarovar and Mount Kailas

in the Himalayas, we continued with our pilgrimage to temples and

places in Nepal and India. At Kathmandu we visited Pasupathinath

temple and conducted all the designated pujas. From Kathmandu we

proceeded to Kumbini, the birth place of Sri Buddha. Some of the

members of the group returned to the USA, while the rest of us,

including Swami Pranavananda of Vivekananda Kutir, Rameswaram,

traveled on to India as planned. We visited Belur Math, home of the

Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda situated in

Southern Bengal. We visited the Dakshineswar temple and offered our

obeisance there. The temple was extremely crowded, but still there

were no problems or obstacles that jeopardized its tranquility and

peace.

 

After spending a week of spiritual feasting, we proceed to

Bhuvaneswar and Puri to visit and worship at the Lingaraj and

Jagannath temples with ardent enthusiasm. But our experience was to

much different. At both temples we were met with ruthless and abusive

treatment from the pandas and pujaris. Pandas are hereditary priests

who assist pilgrims with the temple rituals and record the visit in

their pilgrim register. Pujaris perform the actual temple ceremonies.

Here these pandas and pujaris control everything in and around the

temples and cause serious harm to the devotees congregating at the

temples. They ruthlessly pressure and abuse visitors for the sake of

filling their purses. Although we were ready to pay anything they

asked for, still our plight was not different. In front of every

temple Deity they demanded huge amounts of money for services we did

not want to perform for one reason or other, and on failing to meet

their demands, we were subjected to abusive and profane insults. We

could not visualize how such acts of terror could happen in a place

of holiness and worship. In these temples we never got any peace of

mind, nor could we worship the God with humility. They used abnoxious

language towards Swami Pranavananda and threatened him for aiding us

our of their trap. We left both temples with tears in our eyes. What

a paradox. Expecting to worship in peace at the abode of the

presiding Almighty, what we gained instead was eroding of our faith,

nervousness and frustration. The same treatment was repeated when we

visited a few of the major temples in Tamil Nadu.

 

I have been told that this is the universally accepted order in all

the temples of India including Kasi and Mathura. I wonder why nobody

has raised their little finger about this unacceptable behaviour and

come up with a solution for safeguarding pilgrims and devotees and

regaining sanctity in these places. Our temples need to be liberated

from the diabolical environment created by these perpetrators. The

story is different if one goes to a small village temple. There is no

huge crowd, no harassment and no pickpockets. By and large, a serene

atmosphere still prevails. The authorities of the temples should take

action to preserve the culture and sanctity of our temples.

 

Those who live in the western world frequently experience another

phenomenon which we did not anticipate in the third millennium. In

India we do not allow non-hindus to enter the temples, while the

Western Churches in America provide all facilities for us to conduct

our ritual worship in their institutions. Now that we have a number

of temples in the western world, it is not as common as it was ten or

twenty years ago, when we had no places of our own. But still today,

our smaller communities use Christian church facilities graciously

given for their Ganapati, Lakshmi and Durga festivals on a yearly

basis. This , then is my second point of concern, the insensitive

way temples treated foreigners, particularly Westerners, even though

most of them are `more Hindu' than any average Hindu by

birth. These

Westerners have studied the scriptures more thoroughly than the

average Hindu of India. Of course, casually and illegally, many

temples still discriminate against the harijans and backward classes.

But the board hanging outside the entrances of Kerala temples legally

deny the rights of non-Hindus to enter and worship. They are a shame

to the civilized human race as a while, and particularly to the true

Hindu.

 

Who goes to a temple anyway, an atheist or a believer? Until half a

century ago the harijans and backward class Hindus, the targets of

abuse and discrimination, were not allowed to enter the temple. Now

we discriminate against these fellow Hindus by faith instead of birth.

 

How long will it take us to stop this onslaught of unrighteous,

demanding priests and the denial of entry to `non-Hindus' and

to

bring the Godliness back to our temples all over India?

 

Extracted from Hinduism today [ July/August/September 2002]

By Viswanath P. Kurup. Ph. D.

Professor of Pediatrics and medicine at the medical college in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

[Guest guest]

Namaste everyone-

 

There is a lot to be agreed with concerning this article, any Non-

Indian western Hindu can certainly relate! The following was posted

on my website in April after I went through a very difficult

ordeal....who else can relate to this? What do you suggest to fellow

non-Indian Hindus.

**********************************

 

I want to bring your attention to something that affects all of us.

Recently (Saturday to be exact), I was hired by a Desi family to be a

housekeeper/babysitter. I felt very comfortable around the mother,

who is 9 months pregnant with child and I adored their 16 month old

son who called me auntie in Gujurati. The mother liked me a lot, we

agreed on a wage and work time. I was ESTATIC to be working for a

good family.

 

I called to confirm yesterday. Only to be told that I couldn't work

for the family, because her husband did not wish it....and the rest

was very much vague....I am sure there are "other" reasons why he

didn't want me around. Needless to say I was very hurt, angry and

most of all dissappointed. Yesterday opened up very old wounds that I

thought had gone away. And to work with my feelings I made a list of

the things that bother about desi and non-desi Hindu interaction.

 

I would like to know if anyone else can identify with these things,

or if maybe I missed or am overlooking something. I would appreciate

it if almost everyone would make some sort of response, either at the

forum or if it is personal @ my email. Also, I have included a letter

written by forum member Amba to "Hinduism Today magazine". We are

very proud of her for speaking up about these cultural issues.

 

my list:

________

1.) I don't like being called a Gori (white girl) behind my back at a

place holy like temple. Saying things like this insults the fact that

I do indeed know Hindi, and my ethnicity which is only white on one

side (I am part Native American)

 

2.) I am saddened when some people will not sit by me during poojas @

the mandir because according to them I am "low caste." Yes this has

happened to me... .

 

3.)I am upset during the prasad when I must eat alone. Others see

this and many do not come to talk to me. Similarily, many people

break off into groups of which I am not part of.

 

4.)I am upset when I am told by the most orthodox that I can never be

a 'true' Hindu because I was not born into an Indian-Hindu family.

 

5.)I am tired of all the gossip that takes place at the mandir.

Sometimes I cannot even hear swamiji.

 

6.) Lastly, the one I will never be able to help. I am sick of being

stared at when walking through the temple doors. Even if I am in a

Saree.

 

Amba's letter: Hindus: Too Cool to Converts

 

I enjoyed your conversion article. I am a convert to Hinduism from

Catholicism ("How to Become a Hindu," Nov/Dec 2000). I converted when

I was 16 but only formally went through the ceremonies (name change,

etc.) about four years ago. I am now 28. I have studied the Vedas and

Upanishads, as well as other religious texts and even learned Hindi.

I find, however, that there needs to be a "disclaimer" on conversion

to Hinduism. As an African-American, even after formal conversion and

attending temple for many, many, years, I find it difficult for

people to take a convert seriously. I attended a temple in Maryland

and was astounded by their unacceptance and ignorance! As I was

praying to Shri Krishna, a little girl and her mother stared at me.

The little girl kept exclaiming to her mother, "Mommy, Mommy, what is

THAT?" pointing at me. The woman just mumbled something in Hindi one

word of which I caught "Kahlu" (black). I suppose they thought that I

didn't understand what they said? Well...I did. I was very hurt and,

needless to say, did not attend that temple ever again. I have

experienced other acts of ignorance as well from other temples. I

have attended my "home" temple here for over eight years and still

only a handful of people converse with me! I have found a few temples

in the area where the people are very warm and I feel welcome and not

like an "alien," but it has been a tough road to acceptance! Converts

have to have a thick skin and remember why they chose Sanatana

Dharma! Do not let others discourage you no matter what they may say

or do. One does not have to be born into Hinduism to know its truths

yet sometimes people tend to cloud themselves in their own

discriminatory ignorance. Be strong in the faith and in yourself!

 

Shanti....

[Guest guest]

Oh.

 

I don't have this problem where I go, to that extent...

 

But I was warned, "many white people will not accept you; many Indian people

will not accept you".

 

But who has the problem, ultimately?

 

God is everywhere.

 

Om Tara!

 

>"goodhindugirl1183" <goodhindugirl1183

>

>

> Re: SOMETHING’S WRONG AT OUR TEMPLES

>Sun, 28 Jul 2002 16:46:48 -0000

>

>Namaste everyone-

>

>There is a lot to be agreed with concerning this article, any Non-

>Indian western Hindu can certainly relate! The following was posted

>on my website in April after I went through a very difficult

>ordeal....who else can relate to this? What do you suggest to fellow

>non-Indian Hindus.

>**********************************

>

>I want to bring your attention to something that affects all of us.

>Recently (Saturday to be exact), I was hired by a Desi family to be a

>housekeeper/babysitter. I felt very comfortable around the mother,

>who is 9 months pregnant with child and I adored their 16 month old

>son who called me auntie in Gujurati. The mother liked me a lot, we

>agreed on a wage and work time. I was ESTATIC to be working for a

>good family.

>

>I called to confirm yesterday. Only to be told that I couldn't work

>for the family, because her husband did not wish it....and the rest

>was very much vague....I am sure there are "other" reasons why he

>didn't want me around. Needless to say I was very hurt, angry and

>most of all dissappointed. Yesterday opened up very old wounds that I

>thought had gone away. And to work with my feelings I made a list of

>the things that bother about desi and non-desi Hindu interaction.

>

>I would like to know if anyone else can identify with these things,

>or if maybe I missed or am overlooking something. I would appreciate

>it if almost everyone would make some sort of response, either at the

>forum or if it is personal @ my email. Also, I have included a letter

>written by forum member Amba to "Hinduism Today magazine". We are

>very proud of her for speaking up about these cultural issues.

>

>my list:

>________

>1.) I don't like being called a Gori (white girl) behind my back at a

>place holy like temple. Saying things like this insults the fact that

>I do indeed know Hindi, and my ethnicity which is only white on one

>side (I am part Native American)

>

>2.) I am saddened when some people will not sit by me during poojas @

>the mandir because according to them I am "low caste." Yes this has

>happened to me... .

>

>3.)I am upset during the prasad when I must eat alone. Others see

>this and many do not come to talk to me. Similarily, many people

>break off into groups of which I am not part of.

>

>4.)I am upset when I am told by the most orthodox that I can never be

>a 'true' Hindu because I was not born into an Indian-Hindu family.

>

>5.)I am tired of all the gossip that takes place at the mandir.

>Sometimes I cannot even hear swamiji.

>

>6.) Lastly, the one I will never be able to help. I am sick of being

>stared at when walking through the temple doors. Even if I am in a

>Saree.

>

>Amba's letter: Hindus: Too Cool to Converts

>

>I enjoyed your conversion article. I am a convert to Hinduism from

>Catholicism ("How to Become a Hindu," Nov/Dec 2000). I converted when

>I was 16 but only formally went through the ceremonies (name change,

>etc.) about four years ago. I am now 28. I have studied the Vedas and

>Upanishads, as well as other religious texts and even learned Hindi.

>I find, however, that there needs to be a "disclaimer" on conversion

>to Hinduism. As an African-American, even after formal conversion and

>attending temple for many, many, years, I find it difficult for

>people to take a convert seriously. I attended a temple in Maryland

>and was astounded by their unacceptance and ignorance! As I was

>praying to Shri Krishna, a little girl and her mother stared at me.

>The little girl kept exclaiming to her mother, "Mommy, Mommy, what is

>THAT?" pointing at me. The woman just mumbled something in Hindi one

>word of which I caught "Kahlu" (black). I suppose they thought that I

>didn't understand what they said? Well...I did. I was very hurt and,

>needless to say, did not attend that temple ever again. I have

>experienced other acts of ignorance as well from other temples. I

>have attended my "home" temple here for over eight years and still

>only a handful of people converse with me! I have found a few temples

>in the area where the people are very warm and I feel welcome and not

>like an "alien," but it has been a tough road to acceptance! Converts

>have to have a thick skin and remember why they chose Sanatana

>Dharma! Do not let others discourage you no matter what they may say

>or do. One does not have to be born into Hinduism to know its truths

>yet sometimes people tend to cloud themselves in their own

>discriminatory ignorance. Be strong in the faith and in yourself!

>

>Shanti....

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

_______________

Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

[Guest guest]

Hello. I am Sister Usha, Founder of a small group called Divinely

Female. I joined this list a few days ago at the kind and generous

invitation of the coordinator.

I wish to comment on this subject of prejudice amongst Hindus

against non-Hindus and converts to Hinduism. One of my favorite

stories concerns some Christian missionaries in 19th-Century India.

These foreigners were teaching Christianity to the local people in a

small village. The villagers were attending the classes and eagerly

studying the Bible. They started participating in Christian rituals

led by the missionaries.

The Christian foreigners were very pleased by all this. They were

convinced that they were succeeding in converting the villagers to

Christianity. Eventually, however, they were stunned to learn that

the villagers had simply decided that Jesus was a tenth incarnation

of Vishnu.

Such is the history of Hinduism for the past 5000 years. Every

time that a new idea has been introduced into India, whether

originating within the Subcontinent or imported from the outside, it

has been absorbed into the faith. The worthwhile ideas from new

system have been added to the great body of knowledge. Thus Hinduism

contains the wisdom of all the centuries. It is not based on the

teachings of one prophet or one book or one century. This would be

foolishly restrictive. No one person has a monopoly on wisdom.

Everyone has a something to teach and only a fool believes s/he has

nothing to learn. There have been many wise people in many centuries,

and it is for us to learn from them all.

Thus it is sad to read of Hindus not living up to their faith,

shunning outsiders and newcomers. Everyone should be accepted and

embraced. And, more importantly, we should listen to what everyone

has to say. We may learn something.

 

Sister Usha

[Guest guest]

Greetings on this thread of thought~

 

Yes, discrimination is disturbing when we see it from the outside and

it is painful when seen from the inside.

 

I have experienced such in my own journey that led me to Maa; within

a heart felt walk through the religious plain that our world today

has to offer. Discrimination accorded to an individual by those in a

place of authority within a religion, both ordained and non-ordained.

Discrimination looking only at birth, gender, status and many other

standards. Discrimination is not merciful nor does it make any sense

to the seeker who comes with open hands and a heart felt search for a

home. Discrimination within purity for a religious race.

Discrimination ascribed by interpretation of scriptures.

Discrimination ascribe to a person due to geography or financial

dependence. So much can be said about it and it is all painful to

watch and experience.

 

So I place a few questions before you. How does one end

discrimination when it is such a subjective experience - one enforced

by another individual against another individual? What is religion?

What can be done?

 

Religion on a whole, is a community and place of birth based

experience, usually. In except the rare instances where a converts

fit into the fabric of a religious community or where a religion is

also compelled to make room for more members "outside" the common

entrance for new members by birth or marriage. Even in these

instances the convert is seen as a second class member of this

community of religious. A religion can also be a way of life for

those living in a geographical area and controlled closely by

alliances and religious figures of authority and at times very

gender/race specific. So what is religion when seen in these

contexts? Looking closer; is faith and devotion the same as religion?

Is a Shakta Devotional a religion?

 

I have been thinking about this issue for some time due to my extreme

personal experiences. I have found some relief and healing within my

having over come both discrimination and religion within my practice.

First a devotion and faith are a very personal thing, beyond any

organized religion or societal structure. Faith is not granted

through ceremony, but is a light found within our hearts. It is our

great fortune to be born at a time when worship of Maa is still

evident within a certain culture and at a certain place. We have a

place to "go" to and others to share our common experiences with and

others (when they are able and willing to share with us) to learn

about Maa from and to strengthen us. But this place and society

should not control our relationship and devotion toward our Mother.

The calling for each of us came from within ourselves - not without.

 

The next experience to point out --- Maa comes to us in many forms.

She is not only of the Indian experience, but of the Sumerian and

Egyptian and Other ancient people's experiences. Where does one go

to "experience" the religions long dead that held the Goddess dear?

Does a devotee of Inanna or Hecate or Isis feel discrimination from

those who once worshipped the Goddess long ago? I think these

feelings of discrimination are experienced from a different sector of

life -- discrimination and intolerance from those who fear the

Goddess and the "new" religions in our world, which have over run the

areas which were once sacred to the Shaktas of these Goddesses.

 

So to be a Shakta and have a Shakti Devotion is a very rare thing. To

find such a place as this list or other small groups to practice our

Sadhana within is very rare too. And rarer still is our individual

acceptance into many organized religions of today within our approach

to the Goddess --- even when that religion is said to be Goddess

based. It should not surprise us or grieve us since it is all Maya.

It is all karma as well. My hope is our hearts are healed by the

voice of our Mother and we have no need, BUT for Her approval, as we

live our lives and practice our Sadhana. Yes, there will be pain and

violence experienced on many levels due to our Sadhana and gender of

our "God". We cannot please every authority figure within our Shakta

experience as we have not been able to please these same authority

figures in other parts of our lives. But this life is impermanent,

authority figures and circumstances are impermanent; but our Mother

and Sadhana are not impermanent. It is hard not be under some sort of

scrutiny by someone of importance around us; but our Mother will

guide us and heal us and call us to herself. Let us only be open then

to Her voice and let all the rest fall away as we try to bring peace

to ourselves and to all those around us. It is all Maya and it is all

our Mother.

 

Just my thoughts as following what has been shared within this string

of sharing.

 

with palms together

Jai Mahakali

Yeshe

[Guest guest]

Before I begin, I would like to point out two facts about myself that

would be relevant to this little testimony that I am about to reveal.

Firstly, I am not Indian, I am Chinese and secondly, I am not Hindu,

but Roman Catholic. I have had the most profound interest in the Hindu

religion ever since I found out that the HIndu religion had few

missionaries but countless converts all over the world, throughout

human history. Consequently, I have been reading the Vedas and teh

Upanishads and found that I have benefitted immensely on the richness

of the wisdom of Hinduism and how it is so inter-related with my own

Chinese culture. Although I am not Hindu, I have been to a couple of

Hindu temples, and although my experiences did mirror some of your

more negative ones, I have never felt any sort of anomosity directed

towards me. True enough that people would stare, after all, a Chinaman

in Hindu temple is novelty enough, but their intentions are mostly

curiosity in basis, rather than rejection. Hindus, like followers of

any other religions, are diverse, which means intolerance mingles

freely with the tolerance, but one characteristics that sets Hinduism

apart is that : Hinduism is the only religion that PREACHES and

PRACTICES tolerance. Like the example of newly coverts who thought of

Jesus as the tenth avatar of Vishnu, HInduism has the greatest

propensity to accept new definitions of divinity from others. When

Hindus ask me if I am a Hindu, and later find that i am not one

despite my obvious interest in it, all of them have relatively no

problems in accepting my interest and admiration of their faith. On

the other hand, when any of my Christian breathens would to see

pictures of Saraswati and Krishna pinned on my notice board, they

would flood me with a torrent of questions pertaining to the "purity"

of my Christian faith. I feel sorry for those who experienced

negativity, but be glad that you are surrounded by the vast majority

of very open-minded and tolerant Hindus, who are truly happy that you

share their pristine spirituality. Some of my Hindu friends would

tease me and ask me if I have ever thought of "converting", and I

would answer Isn't all of us Hindus anyway." They would just smile

[Guest guest]

> Hinduism is the only religion that PREACHES and

> PRACTICES tolerance.

 

I do know of a few others. Here in the USA there is a

small group called Unitarians who do practice

tolerance. They have Christians, Jews, Wiccans, and a

few Hindus worshipping together in the same service. I

know that these Unitarians are active in the USA and

Canada, but I do not believe they are found elsewhere.

Also, most present-day Pagans in the West are very

tolerant, drawing ideas from Hinduism, Chinese

religions, Native American faiths, and old

pre-Christian European traditions.

 

Sister Usha

 

=====

Sister Usha Devi

Founder, Divinely Female and worshipper of the Sacred Flame that shines inside

every woman

 

 

 

Health - Feel better, live better

http://health.

[Guest guest]

"Hinduism is the only religion that PREACHES and PRACTICES tolerance"

I agree with you on this Sister Usha.

 

"When Hindus ask me if I am a Hindu, and later find that I am not

one

despite my obvious interest in it, all of them have relatively no

problems in accepting my interest and admiration of their faith"

 

Where I am right now ( Malaysia & Singapore), we are more tolerant.

The temples here have no problem of allowing non hindus coming in to

take a look and ask questions. People are ever willing to offer

information. The devotees are not just mainly Indians, Nepales, but

also from Chinese origin. During religious occasion like Thaipusam

and Fire walking ceremony, there are many non Indians ( particularly

Chinese) participating. And nobody questions about their presence.

 

 

Om ParaShaktiye Namaha